American Pharoah works five furlongs Sunday morning

ARCADIA, Calif. – Triple Crown winner American Pharoah worked five furlongs in 1:00 Sunday morning at Santa Anita, his second work since returning to serious training following his loss last month in the Travers Stakes at Saratoga.

American Pharoah came out after the first of the morning's renovation breaks with regular work rider Martin Garcia aboard. He broke off at the half-mile pole and got to the wire in 47.80 seconds before going out to the seven-furlong pole in 1:00.

Trainer Bob Baffert often works his horses from the so-called "short" poles – like the 4 1/2 pole for a five-furlong work – but this one began at the half-mile pole.

American Pharoah was going quite easily and certainly looks like he's headed in the right direction after several days of well-deserved easy training following the Travers, which marked his first loss since his debut more than a year earlier.

"He was just galloping," Garcia said to Baffert as he brought American Pharoah up the stretch following the work.

Baffert has been taking American Pharoah to the track just after sunrise to avoid the heat of later in the morning. It was in the upper 90s for racing Saturday afternoon, and high temperatures are forecast for the 90s all week here, according to the National Weather Service. The difference between 6:30 a.m. and 8 has been significant.

"It worries me, the heat," Baffert said.

American Pharoah is likely to have one more work at Santa Anita. After that, it is likely he will head to Churchill Downs for his final drills in advance of the Breeders' Cup Classic on Oct. 31 at Keeneland, which will be his final career start. He enters stud next spring at Coolmore USA's Ashford Stud in Kentucky.