American Pharoah drills three furlongs

ARCADIA, Calif. – Triple Crown hero American Pharoah is officially on the comeback trail.

On Monday at Santa Anita, American Pharoah worked three furlongs in 36.40 seconds under jockey Martin Garcia, his first major exercise since his historic win in the Belmont Stakes on June 6.

The workout was the start of preparation for a late summer and autumn season that remains undefined. Trainer Bob Baffert said Monday that he has not chosen a race for American Pharoah’s next start. Baffert has previously mentioned having American Pharoah ready for the first weekend of August, and the two most likely options remain the $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 1 or the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on Aug. 2.

American Pharoah worked alone at 7:45 a.m., shortly after the track was renovated. Garcia rode the colt down the stretch, accompanied by a pony, and broke off from the pony as they passed the half-mile pole. American Pharoah was in stride well before he reached the three-furlong pole.

Coaching through a walkie-talkie, Baffert urged Garcia to have American Pharoah at full speed quickly.

“I don’t want to go too slow,” Baffert said. “Come on, come on.”

Through the stretch, Garcia sat quietly on American Pharoah. Baffert timed American Pharoah galloping out a half-mile in 49 seconds.

“Let him go out a bit,” Baffert said as American Pharoah crossed the finish line.

American Pharoah ran the first furlong in 12.40, according to Santa Anita clockers, and the last quarter-mile in 24 seconds. Baffert timed American Pharoah in a slightly quicker 35.84.

The Triple Crown champion has been based at Santa Anita since June 18 and had been galloping on a daily basis since June 22. Before Monday’s workout, Baffert said “it was time to do something” with American Pharoah.

“I wanted to wake him up a bit,” Baffert said. “I didn’t want to hold him back too much.”

Garcia has been the regular work rider for American Pharoah, even though Victor Espinoza rides the colt in races.

Owned by Ahmed Zayat, American Pharoah is unbeaten in five starts this year – the Rebel Stakes and Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park, the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico, and the Belmont Stakes. In his career, the colt has won 7 of 8 starts and has earned $4,530,300.