All About American Pharoah: What Made the 3-Year-Old a Triple Crown Winner
American Pharoah was always mature, his owner says.
— -- As American Pharoah charged down the final stretch at the Belmont Stakes, seeming to only get stronger as the race went on, it became obvious that this history-making horse was one for the ages.
It's not just that American Pharoah is only the 12th horse to win the Triple Crown, and the first to win the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont since 1978. It's the way the 3-year-old did it that makes him so special.
At the Derby, he rallied down the stretch and won by a length -- but it was a length that seemed to be growing. At the Preakness, despite starting on the rail and a muddy track, he simply blew away the field.
And Saturday at the Belmont, he pushed out to the lead by the first turn and never gave it up, again running away down the stretch, as though the other horses weren't in the race.
American Pharoah always was mature, owner Ahmed Zayat said today.
"It's how he plays with his other friends that made him different," Zayat said. "His demeanor, the way he carried himself, kind of the man, but there was a lot of maturity to him."
Trainer Bob Baffert described American Pharoah as "a people horse."
"He just loves to be around people, people petting him and loving on him. He's just a really sweet horse," he said.
Baffert said he knew from the beginning that American Pharaoh was special.
"It was ridiculously insane what he did yesterday. And then he pushed the button, he just dropped down and flew home the last quarter. I've never had a horse like that," he said.
"He's just a tough horse" Baffert said. "He's an athlete."
Zayat said he is not going to retire American Pharoah now that he's made history, just to maintain his value.
"When the horse is ready, we're not going to be scared of running him, to lose or not to lose, what is going to make for the value or not," Zayat said. "It's all about now the fans, and this belongs to history."
He said he'll leave it up to Baffert to map out a schedule.
Among the major races where American Pharoah could run this summer are the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on Aug. 2; the Jim Dandy at Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 1; the Travers at Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 29; or the Pacific Classic at Del Mar in California on Aug. 22.