Which was exactly the appropriate reaction.
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TRIPLE CROWN victor American Pharoah was given very little to worry about at any point in the contest as he blew away his rivals with a breathtaking display to land the Breeders’ Cup Classic. We owe American Pharoah everything…. The Belmont was the highlight, a 5 ½-length win that proved it’s still possible to win a Triple Crown after a 37-year drought. No horse had done that in 37 years, going back to the legendary Affirmed in 1978. “This one is for Pharoah”.
“American Pharoah is a victor!” owner-breeder Ahmed Zayat screamed.
Wavell Avenue, a filly who shares her name with a street in Chicago, made her first stakes win a colossal one when she came from the outside and ran down La Verdad in the final furlong to win the $1 million, Grade 1 Twin Spires Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.
American Pharoah had elevated a fading sport, given new vitality to an anachronistic business. But Beholder spiked a fever upon arriving in Kentucky 10 days before the Classic and then bled into her lungs on a routine gallop Thursday.
However, Zayat, along with legendary trainer Bob Baffert, chose to give horse racing fans what they wanted and let American Pharoah finish out the season.
“I’m just proud of my team, and (assistant trainer) Jimmy Barnes and I’m so happy for the Zayats”, he continued. I can’t judge how great Pharoah is, but he’s just incredible.
Neither can the rest of us. But we were lucky to see him the way we did, for as long as we did. That stands as the defining testimony of his greatness. “The pace seemed honest, but it looked like American Pharoah just kept going”.
“Frankie said he was spinning his wheels all the time, but he appears to be bright after his race”. That he did, perfectly.
Four-year-old filly Tepin, trained by Mark Casse and ridden by Julien Leparoux, seized the win over Mondialiste and Grand Arch as a string of talented European turf runners – including defending Mile champion Karakontie, French hopes Esoterique and Make Believe and the Roger Charlton-trained Time Test failed to produce.
“I take my hat off to them for running her. I would be really sad if something happened to him in another race”.
Before his run for home, American Pharoah slowed a bit on the backstretch.
“I know he’s the best horse I’ve ever had, maybe the best horse in the world in recent history”, he said.
When he did, Pharoah was able to dig in better and take off. “I’m ecstatic, ” Jerkens said.
O’Brien had more to celebrate when Found spoiled Golden Horn’s swansong when denying him victory in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland. The scheduled post time of 5:33 stretched almost 20 minutes to 5:52.
No one connected to champion American Pharoah has wanted to fully accept that Saturday’s 11⁄4-mile jaunt around Keeneland would be his final career start before heading off to stud. As it was, the last impression American Pharoah made was on par with every other key moment of his life. Baffert always has stories. “I’ll never have another horse like him”.
Then he talked about the 1996 Breeders’ Cup in Toronto, when he had a horse named Zippers Up. “I knew he got it. It’s so weird”.
Baffert called the Travers a bump. All around, it was pent-up emotion, awaiting chaos.
Much of the throng that had flooded the paddock had gone to the track to watch. They’re calling it the “Pharoah Slam”. The Kardashians are furious.
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Baffert was immensely pleased with American Pharoah. Honor Code completed a $2 trifecta that paid $322.60, and paid $3.40 to show.
