American Pharoah will pump up Saturday’s crowd

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – American Pharoah will be paraded before his adoring public before and after the sixth race Saturday night at Churchill Downs, giving fans a window of maybe 40 minutes to take another long look at the latest Triple Crown winner.

American Pharoah will be walked over from Barn 33 following the fifth of 11 Downs After Dark races, which is set for 7:57 p.m. Eastern, along with the runners in the sixth race.

“We’ll just walk him over like we’re schooling him,” said Jimmy Barnes, the Bob Baffert assistant charged with the colt’s day-to-day care here. “He’ll walk around the paddock while they run the sixth.”

Shortly after the sixth, which is set for 8:30, American Pharoah will be led into the winner’s circle to be part of the traditional tributes and Kentucky Derby trophy presentations to the winning connections – Baffert, owner and breeder Ahmed Zayat, and jockey Victor Espinoza – before being walked back to the barn.

With all the publicity being given the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years, Churchill is expecting a crowd that could threaten its record of 38,142 for a nighttime card. The live racing will be good, too, with the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap (post 9:39) matching Hoppertunity, Lea, and Commissioner.

“We’ll be staffed for a large crowd,” said Churchill spokesman Darren Rogers.

NBCSN will have live coverage of all the events on a two-hour broadcast (8-10).

The forecast for Saturday calls for a daytime high of 88 and a 60 percent chance of rain.

Meanwhile, American Pharoah was hand-walked around the barn again Wednesday, marking the third straight day for such light activity since he arrived here Sunday. Barnes said the colt likely will return to the track for an easy jog Friday.

Barnes said American Pharoah and the rest of the Baffert string are scheduled to leave Louisville next Thursday, June 18, via equine charter for Baffert’s home base in California.