Quiet morning for American Pharoah

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Triple Crown winner American Pharoah enjoyed another quiet morning of training early Tuesday at Churchill Downs as his connections get ready to take him home to Southern California.

Exercise rider Jorge Alvarez was aboard for another routine gallop of nearly 1 1/2 miles on a warm morning. American Pharoah stepped onto a fast racetrack shortly after 6:20 a.m. and went through his familiar paces without incident, getting it all done in about eight minutes.

“He’s happy, we’re happy,” said Alvarez.

American Pharoah is scheduled to be transported via equine charter flight early Thursday to his home base at Santa Anita. Jimmy Barnes, assistant to trainer Bob Baffert, said a shuttle to nearby Louisville International Airport will begin loading at about 6:30 a.m.

Barnes said the colt was scheduled to go to the track early Wednesday, his final day of training here. Churchill officials had considered inviting the public out one last time to watch the colt gallop, as had been done during his Triple Crown run, but Baffert declined.

“Bob said thanks, but he’d rather not,” said Barnes.

American Pharoah was paraded before a crowd of nearly 30,000 here Saturday night. Santa Anita has scheduled a similar event for the superstar colt on Gold Cup Day, June 27.