American Pharoah wins the Haskell Invitational

Hopefully, they’ll remember while there is still racing at the shore track.

It had been 58 days since American Pharoah finished off the elusive trifecta, with a stirring 1½-mile trip at Belmont Park. “Hes just a great horse.”. American Pharoah is 1-5 on the Monmouth morning line to take New Jersey’s signature event in the home state of owner-breeder Ahmed Zayat.

That might sound insane, but it makes a lot of sense.

In his first race since, Zayat and trainer Bob Baffert both admitted to massive nervousness over a horse that was a massive favorite, not because he didn’t look healthy and strong and faster than ever, but what if he somehow wound up having a bad trip?

“Imagine the feeling we leave here at 1-9 and disappoint fans?”

Strolling majestically clear from there, the race was quickly over as a contest and he was heavily eased in beating the running-on Keen Ice, taking his winning streak to eight.

Monmouth is barely surviving in the turbulent world of horse racing.

On a day when New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie visited Monmouth Park, American Pharoah had no traffic problems. That move seems designed to deflect accusations that NYRA isn’t trying hard enough to get the horse.

“(Baffert) has also indicated, though, he needs to let the horse speak to him, ” Kay said. “He loves to train”. He’s done a lot. One of the guys actually said, “Maybe not this time”. A Baffert tradition leads him to Maxs Hot Dogs in Long Branch, New Jersey, before he runs his horses in the Haskell.

He was clearly sitting on gold at the Haskell.

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

If the decision is made to allow American Pharoah to race with older horses, there is the $1-million Pacific Classic for 3-year-olds and up on August 22 and others. Note that DeRosa was touting American Pharoah very early on and is not just a bandwagon-crasher.

Zayat announced on July 2 that American Pharoah would compete at the Haskell Invitational before targeting October’s Breeders’ Cup Classic as his final race. A loss could diminish American Pharoah’s chances of coming to Saratoga. After a struggle up the stretch, last year’s champion filly was beaten a length by Stopchargingmaria (Todd Pletcher/Javier Castellano), though there was little disgrace in going down to a dual Grade 1 victor who was getting 3lb from the Breeders’ Cup Distaff victor. Granted, to say the weather was bad that day is an understatement. The winner’s share is $1.1 million.

Plus Monmouth wins. Even after it added $750,000 to the usual $1 million purse for its showcase race, the track’s cash registers won’t stop ringing.

American Pharoah’s subsequent begin is now the most important query in racing.

That’s a pretty great trifecta for the sport. “I’m gonna keep chasin’ him”, Romans said.

“I watched like a fan”, Bafffert said. “Look, I’m not anxious about Saratoga or the surface or anything like that”.

Alvarez, who traveled with American Pharoah back to Baffert’s base at Del Mar in southern California, said he expected the 3-year-old bay colt would settle back in his stall Monday evening. “He makes me emotional because he’s a gift from God, or something”. “We want that horse that every time we lead him up here, that we’re doing the right thing”, said the Hall of Fame trainer.