ELMONT, N.Y. – In 2007, Ahmed Zayat was the leading owner at Saratoga and Bill Mott was the leading trainer, based largely on the success the pair had with their 2-year-olds. The business relationship lasted another year or so before the two split up.
On Thursday, the Zayats announced that they would again be using Mott and that they plan to send him five or six 2-year-olds this year.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Dale Romans knew early on that American Pharoah was special.
He was at a farm in Ocala, Fla., with several other of trainers who worked for Ahmed Zayat when American Pharoah breezed for the first time.
“Super horse,” Romans said. “To watch his first quarter-mile breeze and see it all come together . . . it’s more fun than if I had him to train because there would have been more stress.”
ELMONT, N.Y. – It isn’t often that a trainer could run the defending Breeders’ Cup Classic winner in a Grade 1 race and have it be only the second-most important race of his day.
Such is the case for trainer Bob Baffert, who two hours before he saddles American Pharoah in the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes – and a bid to win the Triple Crown – will send out Bayern in the $1.25 million Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park.
If it were not for Robert Luttrell’s wife, Myrna, there might not be a Promise Me Silver attempting to become the first Texas-bred since Got Koko in 2002 to win a Grade 1 race on Saturday. Promise Me Silver carries the hopes of the Lone Star State’s breeding program into the Acorn, a one-mile race for 3-year-old fillies on the Belmont Stakes undercard. She is seeking to improve her career record to 9 for 9.
Last year, trainer Keith Desormeaux won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile with Texas Red, who finished a close second to American Pharoah in the voting for champion 2-year-old male. So, when Desormeaux ships a maiden across the country for a stakes race and names his brother Kent to ride, it merits attention.
On Friday, Desormeaux will start Swipe in the $250,000 Tremont Stakes. Swipe finished second in his first start May 22 at Santa Anita and figures as one of the longer prices in the Tremont.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – To find better horses, Chris Hartman figured he had to go east, young man.
“I wanted to upgrade my stock and see if I couldn’t pick up some more clients,” said Hartman, who was born in Phoenix and raised on the racetracks of Arizona and New Mexico.
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. That is guaranteed.
And that is by design.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Once trainer Leah Gyarmati gets Wonder Gal’s season started, everything else should fall into place. But due to an unusual set of circumstances, Wonder Gal comes into the Grade 1 Acorn on Saturday having had only one race since finishing third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies last fall – and that 2015 race was two months ago.
