Triple Crown Champ American Pharoah Sizzles in Breeders' Cup Drill
In his penultimate workout before the Breeders Cup Classic (G1) which will be held at Keeneland, Triple Crown champion American Pharoah turned in an impressive workout on Tuesday at Santa Anita, completing six furlongs in 1:10 4/5.
Though ridden by jockey Victor Espinoza in his races, the bay son of Pioneerof the Nile is piloted by jockey Martin Garcia in the mornings and he was aboard for this workout, which was likely the final major breeze of the colt’s career. It was his sixth listed workout since suffering the second loss of his career and his first defeat this year in the Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga and the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) is on schedule to be the final race of his career.
Champion two-year-old trying to cap off remarkable career
Owned and bred by Zayat Stables and trained by Bob Baffert, American Phroah broke his maiden in his second career start as a juvenile which came against top caliber stakes company in the Del Mar Futurity (G1). He also won the Front Runner Stakes (G1) which was enough to earn him the Eclipse Award despite sitting out the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. As a three-year-old, he became the first horse in 37 years to win the Kentucky Derby (G1), Preakness (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1) and win the Triple Crown.
American Pharoah facing serious test in Classic
At the conclusion of his racing career, he is scheduled to begin his life as a stallion at Coolemore’s Ashford Stud in Kentucky. Before then, however, the history-making colt will face older horses for the first time in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) on Saturday, October 31. The field he will face could include the multiple champion mare Beholder, Travers Stakes (G1) upset winner Keen Ice as well as the brilliant Grade 1 winner Honor Code.
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