While American Pharoah will be the overwhelming favorite in the Haskell, it should be a much more competitive race for wagering in the $50,000 Mr Jet Moore Stakes.
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Pharoah will start from post 4 in a field of eight, taking the mile-and-an-eighth test on the dirt track.
He is preparing for his first race since the big win at Belmont Park in June, but as CBS2’s Scott Rapoport reported, the real challenge will be handling the influx of American Pharoah fans.
The ride captured here is from a workout session that American Pharoah did at the Del Mar Race Track earlier this month.
Bob Kulina, the president of Monmouth Park, explained that the purse increase did not come from the horsemen’s purse fund. For me, the best part of the Belmont was when they took [American Pharoah] up the stretch so everyone could see him.
“We’ve had purse increases to the Haskell before, but have never seen a Triple Crown victor, so to make this one a record is only fitting”.
In his next start, Affirmed finished second in the Travers Stakes – also at Saratoga – as Alydar, who finished second in each of the Triple Crown races, finally got his number.
“He had a very high energy level this morning”, Barnes said. The three-day extravaganza commences tomorrow and will feature a multitude of activities at the track, including the opening of the clubhouse, free of charge, for fans to watch American Pharoah train on Friday and Saturday mornings.
Mr. Baffert, who is based in California, has enjoyed success running his horses in New Jersey, winning the Haskell a record seven times, including last year with Bayern. GoPro filmed a very cool trip around the racetrack with American Pharoah so we at home can all get a taste of what it’s really like to travel at the speed of a champion.
The view from American Pharoah includes this other horse.
“He’s coming into the race 100 percent”, trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. said.
Keen Ice (12-1), Mr. Jordan (15-1), Nonna’s Boy (30-1), Top Clearance (30-1) and Don’tbetwithbruno (30-1) round out the field.
“We thought this was the right thing to do”. They have off-days, just like us humans. As far as which horses will actually run, he said, “I’m not sure what we are doing”.
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“It’s an invitational, but they never notified the invitees”, Stewart told the paper.
