Only six of the 11 potential Belmont Stakes starters are currently stabled at Belmont Park. Four of those six worked for the June 6 race on Friday: trainer Todd Pletcher’s trio of Materiality, Carpe Diem, and Madefromlucky and Kiaran McLaughlin’s Frosted, the sneaky-good fourth-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby.
Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner American Pharoah was out for his first gallop since his seven-length romp at Pimlico when going through a routine bit of training Friday at Churchill Downs.
Ahmed Zayat, the man behind American Pharoah, likes to say his homebred colt by a homebred stallion is a family production, “A to Z.” No argument here. But while we’re on the subject, the Triple Crown challenge faced by American Pharoah in the 147th Belmont Stakes on June 6 deserves an A-to-Z treatment of its own.
Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner American Pharoah began his bid toward the June 6 Belmont Stakes with a once-around jog Thursday morning at Churchill Downs, a routine bit of exercise that took a mere seven minutes to complete.
Trainer Dallas Stewart sent out yet another longshot to blow up the gimmicks in a Triple Crown event when Tale of Verve closed steadily to be second at 28-1 in the 140th Preakness on Saturday at Pimlico.
Should American Pharoah become a Triple Crown winner by taking the Belmont Stakes on June 6, there will be tremendous pressure on owner Ahmed Zayat to pull the racing plug and protect his valuable asset. Zayat has said the colt will continue to race this season, which is good news. If he goes forth as the 12th Triple Crown winner, here is how he would compare to the other 11 after their place in history was secure.
Trainer Dallas Stewart sent out yet another longshot to blow up the gimmicks in a Triple Crown event when Tale of Verve closed steadily to be second at 28-1 in the 140th Preakness on Saturday at Pimlico.
Dual classic winner American Pharoah, seeking to become the first Triple Crown winner since 1978, will stand at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud near Versailles, Ky., upon his retirement
American Pharoah beat 17 rivals in the Kentucky Derby, just seven showed up to futilely challenge him last Saturday in the Preakness, and it looks as if he’ll have about 10 opponents in the June 6 Belmont Stakes when he attempts to become the first horse to sweep the Triple Crown since Affirmed in 1978.
Keen Ice, seventh in the Kentucky Derby, worked five furlongs in 1:01.80 Friday at Churchill Downs in preparation for the Belmont Stakes on June 6.
