American Pharoah gears up for Haskell Invitational

ARCADIA, Calif. – Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has won the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park a record seven times, beginning with Belmont Stakes winner Point Given in 2001. It’s safe to say that the atmosphere for this year’s race Aug. 2 will be different. This year, Baffert is bringing Triple Crown hero American Pharoah.

On Thursday, owner Ahmed Zayat and Baffert confirmed that American Pharoah will run in the Haskell, his first start since an historic win in the Belmont Stakes on June 6. With his history in the Haskell, Baffert considered the race for American Pharoah in the weeks after the Belmont, but the official announcement was not made until Thursday.

For Baffert, the Haskell has become a summertime payday in recent years. He won it last year with Bayern and took three consecutive runnings from 2010-12. This year, he is bringing the most popular horse in the nation to the $1 million race.

“We want to enjoy the horse,” Baffert said at his Santa Anita stable Friday. “The Haskell is a fun race. It might be a little hot, but the fans, it’s crazy. That’s their Derby. I remember going there with Point Given. It was huge. I don’t know where they’ll put all the people.”

Monmouth Park officials will scramble on race day to accommodate a fascinated public. The track has announced that reserved seats are sold out, but general admission will be available on race day. For a $6 ticket to the grandstand area or $9 to the clubhouse, racing fans will see the first Triple Crown winner to race at Monmouth.

“To me, it’s always been an important race,” Baffert said. “It’s the kind of race that helps a stallion. With him, he’s already made himself.”

In the weeks after the Belmont, American Pharoah was paraded between races at Churchill Downs and Santa Anita. Such events have ended for the time being, Baffert said. He said it’s time to prepare American Pharoah for races in the second half of the year.

“I think the human thing was getting to him,” Baffert said. “It was too much. He wasn’t relaxing.”

American Pharoah galloped at Santa Anita on Friday and will have his second workout since the Belmont Stakes on Sunday or Monday. Last Monday, American Pharoah worked three furlongs in 36.40 seconds at Santa Anita.

American Pharoah will have an additional workout next weekend at Santa Anita before being shipped to Del Mar for the second half of the month. At that point, the workouts will intensify.

“He won’t do anything serious until he gets down there,” Baffert said.