Zayat had said after the horse’s second-place finish in the Travers Stakes that he was considering retiring the first Triple Crown victor in 37 years.
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American Pharoah had not lost since his career debut last August at Del March Since then, the bay Pioneer of the Nile colt had reeled off eight straight wins, seven of them in Grade 1 races, including his historic sweep of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont this spring. My initial concern right after the race was about American Pharoah s condition, because he did not run his A race.
There’s also a chance he could travel to Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, for training in the weeks leading to the Classic at nearby Keeneland in Lexington on October. 31.
Buckle your seat belts, the American Pharoah Express continues to roll on.
“I am very confident that this is the right decision for American Pharoah“, the 52-year-old owner said.
What potentially awaits American Pharoah at Keeneland are the likes of champion mare Beholder, older horses Honor Code, Liam’s Map and Tonalist, plus Travers graduates Keen Ice and Frosted.
We’re all superstitious to some extent, whether we admit it or not, and there’s definitely a big superstition surrounding Saratoga Race Course. Castellano had him run closer to the leaders than he has in the past and I think that helped when he made his late move.
According to an interview with the Daily Racing Form, Ahmed Zayat believes the horse deserves the chance to compete in the Breeders Cup, the year-end racing event.
Reflecting on the excitement American Pharoah brought to the historic, 147-year-old Spa, New York Racing Association vice president of racing operations Martin Panza said, “Anyone who was here [for the Travers] will remember it for the rest of their lives”.
There is one final moment on the American Pharoah post Triple Crown tour that needs to be mentioned; this time to demonstrate how today’s sights, sounds, and actions can reflect the changing times. “I know I’ve never seen anything like that at Monmouth”. “How can I make money on my name?”
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American Pharoah did not lose respect after the Travers; he gained it. He had a lot going against him, which I pointed out in last week’s column.
