Where to next for American Pharoah?
WHERE will the winner of America’s Triple Crown run his next race? That is the million dollar and more question, after the colt, who clearly was ‘born to run’ reeled off his eighth consecutive Grade 1 win last Sunday.
A record crowd of some 60 000 packed the Monmouth Park track in New Jersey, to see American Pharoah - trust American's to misspell his name - in his first race since his Triple Crown triumph, and he did not disappoint.
The track’s theme song is ‘Born to Run’, an early hit for New Jersey’s favourite son Bruce Springsteen, and the crowd sang along as the imposing colt, who looks stronger each time he races, came onto the track. Incidentally, but importantly given the near hysteria, the horse is fitted with ear plugs as he tends to get over excited by loud noise. The race was a mere formality, and he could have won by ten or twelve lengths against an admittedly ordinary field. His starting price of 1/10 yielded only hot dog money, but the crowd had come just to see him.
Now racetracks are in a bidding war to secure American Pharoah’s next run, prior to his final race, in the Breeder's Cup on 31 October in Lexington, Kentucky, where he will take up stud duties thereafter. The New York Racing Association want him to run in the Travers Stakes at Saratoga, America's oldest track, in upstate New York on 29 August. They have topped up the usual $1 million stake to $1,6 million, but that may not be enough. In New Jersey the colt's owner and trainer were guaranteed $75,000 each just to run him. Now the Executives at Parx Racing, near Philadelphia, are lobbying for American Pharoah to run in their $1 million Pennsylvania Derby on 19 Sepyember, and have thrown in a sweetner of $50,000 each for the owners, Zayat Stables, and the trainer, Bob Baffaert.
Just how good is this horse? Obviously a very good colt, but in a not-so-good three year old crop, or is he comparable to a Secretariat? His last two runs could well be definitive, especially if he meets and beats Texas Red. Intriguingly, Texas Red won the two year old Breeder's, which American Pharoah missed because of an injury, then Texas Red got injured and missed the Triple Crown. But, Texas Red bounced back recently by winning the Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga, and beat Frosted, who ran second to American Pharoah in the Belmont Stakes.
After a sojourn in New Orleans I am heading for Saratoga, but I suspect - darn it! - that American Pharoah will not run there and what is already being touted as “The Inevitable Rivalry’’, will only be decided at the Breeder's Cup in October. Given the Rand Dollar exchange rate, I sure could do with some more hot dog money.