American Pharoah, who on Saturday will attempt to become the sport's 12th Triple Crown winner when he competes in the Belmont Stakes, arrived at Belmont Park on Tuesday following a flight from Kentucky and then a van ride from the local airport, a trip that took almost five hours from door to door.
Much like the Kentucky Derby, the Belmont Stakes puts its competitors on a level playing field in that none of the horses have started at the race’s 1 1/2-mile distance.
Despite steadily increasing crowds at racing’s Triple Crown events and the very real chance that American Pharoah on Saturday will become the sport’s first Triple Crown winner in 37 years, an attendance record will not be set at Belmont Park this weekend.
Victor Espinoza, the man who rides American Pharoah in the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, is already on a list that includes Bill Hartack, Milo Valenzuela, and Kent Desormeaux, all of them in the Hall of Fame. That’s pretty good company, but all the same Espinoza would like to jump ship and join the club made up of Johnny Loftus, Earl Sande, Willie Saunders, Charlie Kurtsinger, Eddie Arcaro, John Longden, Warren Mehrtens, Ron Turcotte, Jean Cruguet, and Steve Cauthen.
There is no right recipe for getting a horse from Kentucky Derby and Preakness wins to the Belmont, but methods have radically changed since Affirmed nipped Alydar in 1978, the last Triple Crown winner. Seattle Slew signaled his Belmont readiness working a fast mile in 1:37, something no trainer of this era would likely consider. In 1973, Secretariat worked a mile and 1 ¼ miles between Preakness and Belmont. Last year, California Chrome had one timed workout at a mere half-mile.
Trainer Michael de Kock has competed in and won major races all over the world, but not until last month had he ever run a horse in the Kentucky Derby, when Mubtaahij finished eighth in the field of 18. His participation in American classics will double on Saturday, when Mubtaahij competes in the Belmont Stakes.
When American Pharoah seeks to complete a sweep of the Triple Crown at Belmont Park Saturday, racing fans will hope to see a great race and perhaps a definitive confirmation that the winner has earned a lofty place in the sport’s history. Based on recent history, it won’t happen.
American Pharoah turned a dreary morning into a pretty special one Monday at Churchill Downs with an eye-catching final work for Saturday’s Belmont Stakes.
The combination of an apparently thriving American Pharoah and few challengers willing to take him on has resulted in an expected field of eight for the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on Saturday, when American Pharoah will be heavily favored to become the 12th Triple Crown winner and the first in 37 years.
The prospective field for the Belmont Stakes on Saturday is now down to eight after Todd Pletcher said Monday that Carpe Diem would not run. The Truth or Else was withdrawn earlier Monday morning by his trainer, Ken McPeek.
