American Pharoah’s winning aura spreads to Terranova barn

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer John Terranova has been enjoying a magnificent summer and he thinks he has American Pharoah to thank.

American Pharoah, trained by Bob Baffert, was housed in Terranova’s Belmont barn leading up to his historic run in the Belmont Stakes, which clinched Thoroughbred racing’s first Triple Crown in 37 years. Over the last two months, Terranova has done quite well, winning eight races since June, including five from just 13 starters during the first part of the Saratoga meet.

“Since Pharoah came to the barn for the Belmont Stakes, my horses, they’ve all stepped up their game,” Terranova said on a rainy Tuesday morning at Saratoga. “He gave off some kind of vibe.”

Four of Terranova’s five Saratoga winners have paid handsomely. Draft Day may have returned only $8.10, but Terranova also won races with Greywalls ($21.20), Cryptic Comet ($22.40), Takajo ($27.60), and Harp N Halo ($49.20).

“The horses were doing well, the right spots were up, and everybody so far has run really well,” said Terranova, who has a second, a third, and two fourths at the meet.

Three of Terranova’s winners were ridden by apprentice Eric Cancel.

“Eric’s riding really well,” Terranova said. “He’s aggressive and they’ve responded well for him. If you don’t have the right horses to ride you can’t make it happen.”

While Terranova understands why Harp N Halo was a big price, he felt the others were in with a decent chance. Greywalls, Terranova said, would have been a lower price had he not drawn the outside post.

Terranova said this will be a quiet week for him with just a couple of maiden claimers to run, one each Wednesday and Thursday.

He has a few 3-year-old maiden fillies that figure to show up here soon and should be live, including Picture Day, third here at the beginning of the meet, and Smart Alex, second at Belmont.

He has not yet run a 2-year-old but has several in training at Belmont and two at Saratoga. A filly named Flying Point and a colt named Monte Man could be among his first babies to start.

Last year, Terranova debuted El Kabeir at Saratoga and he won in his second start at the meet. El Kabeir went on to win several graded stakes before having to scratch from the Kentucky Derby with a foot injury. He is in training at Belmont Park and likely won’t run until late fall, with the possibility of being sent to Santa Anita for the Grade 1 Malibu in late December.

If he comes to Saratoga, American Pharoah would be stabled in Terranova’s barn. In the meantime, Terranova will continue to prepare his horses while hoping he has to clear a stall for American Pharoah should Baffert decided to ship him here for the Travers.

“I would love to see him here – I don’t care how crazy it gets,” Terranova said. “He’s such a rare horse, I don’t know when we’ll all get to see another one. It’s nice for us to be around a horse like him.”