American Pharoah Will Retire Later This Year Despite Recent Success

If all goes in accordance with plan, American Pharoah will run his last race within the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Basic at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky on October 31.

All three of American Pharoah’s 1970s predecessors as Triple Crown winners suffered a blip or two after winning the Belmont.

The feat provided an energizing jolt to a sport struggling in the United States, and trainer Bob Baffert admitted Sunday that prepping the colt for his first post-Triple Crown start had been a “nerve-wracking” experience.

“I just didn’t want to let the crowd down, ” Baffert said after his eighth personal Haskell triumph, earning $1.1 million out of the $1.75 million purse. If Pharoah runs, the purse will be bumped up to $1.6 million, but only if he shows up. The New York Times reported Pennsylvania Derby officials are putting together a package to lure American Pharoah to their race on September 19 in Bensalem, Pa.

American Pharoah followed many of his Triple Crown colleagues by winning his first start after three grueling races in five weeks.

Boo birds: As loud as the cheers were for American Pharoah, the boos for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie were equally as overwhelming when he was introduced as part of the trophy presentation. As Victor Espinoza, American Pharoah’s jockey, entered the paddock to get a leg up on his mount for this race, he was greeted like a rock star would be.

“This is a real special one”, said Tom McCann, who lives about 30 miles from Monmouth Park.

American Pharoah arrived at the Jersey Shore track Wednesday from Del Mar in California. “Don’t worry about anything; you do right by the horse.’ We have to get him home and see how he bounces out of it. There are a lot of options out there, but every time we lead him out there, I want to feel good about it, that I’m doing the right thing”. Installed as a 1-9 wager before the starting gates opened, American Pharoah lived up to his top billing.

From being labeled an NFL bully to Buffalo Bills starter: Guard Richie Incognito took a big step in his return to football after a 15-month hiatus that placed his career in jeopardy. That loss came in the Travers to 100-1 long shot Jim Dandy, and reinforced Saratoga’s reputation as the “Graveyard of Favorites”.

American Pharoah put in another dominant display on Sunday in the Haskell. “For me the key was just coming out of there running”. I was more nervous than any time I’ve run him.

The Eddie Kenneally-trainee boosted his lifetime record to seven wins from 18 starts and has banked $627,732 for owner Joseph F. Sutton. Trainer Bob Baffert could hardly hold his emotions. Greatness is a matter of opinion, and only time will tell what more American Pharoah can accomplish.

“No clue”, owner Ahmed Zayat said when asked about his colt’s next race. But Baffert has seemed warier, always cognizant of the dreary headlines when Secretariat lost in the Whitney Handicap after taking the 1973 Triple Crown. Fans roared as American Pharoah first stepped onto the track to the full-throated strains of the Haskell anthem, Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run“, and then watched him float around the racetrack as the others flailed to keep up.