LUCKY DRAW
Pharoah in position for Triple Crown
BOB BAFFERT took a good look at the Triple Crown trophy during Wednesday afternoon’s post-position draw for Saturday’s $1.5 million Belmont Stakes.
The Hall of Fame trainer asked, “Is that trophy 37 years old, because it looks in great shape.”
The 62-year-old trainer looks to hoist the silverware if American Pharoah wins the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, becoming horse racing’s 12th Triple Crown winner and the first since Affirmed in 1978.
“I don’t know how I’m going to feel about it,” when asked about the possibility of pulling off the sport’s biggest feat. “It’s just something I don’t think about because I know how tough it is. I don’t want to get ahead of myself.
“I want to win it for the horse. This horse is deserving of it, for what he’s done this year. He’s an exciting horse to watch and an exciting horse to train the way he does things easily.”
American Pharoah drew post five and was made the 3-5 favorite in the mile-anda-half race also known as “The Test of the Champion.”
Since Affirmed’s sweep, 13 horses have won both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, with 12 losing the third leg and I’ll Have Another (2012) scratching with a leg injury.
“I don’t really think there is a horrible post position,” Baffert said. “I always like the five. We’ll do well with that, but more important than that is that the horse is doing well. That’s the most important thing. He looks great so far, but we still have to get around there.”
Since 1905, 14 horses have broken from post-position five to win the Belmont Stakes, with Da’ Tara the last to do so in 2008, ending Big Brown’s Triple Crown run.
This will be Baffert’s record fourth attempt at the Triple Crown. Silver Charm (1997) and Real Quiet (1998) finished second, while War Emblem broke poorly at the start in 2002 and finished eighth. In fact, Baffert has won the Belmont Stakes only once in nine tries, with Point Given in 2001.
“All those horses were different physically,” said the Hall of Fame trainer. “The only one who won was Point Given. He was a big horse. We knew he was doing well. Going into the race I knew he had an edge on them.”
This will also be the third attempt for jockey Victor Espinoza to win the Triple Crown. He rode War Emblem to an eighth-place finish in the 2002 Belmont for Baffert and a fourth-place finish last year aboard California Chrome.
“I’m here again,” Espinoza said. “I came here twice, but I’m feeling lucky this year — third time’s a charm.”
Wood Memorial winner Frosted was made the 5-1 second choice in the field, while Florida Derby winner Materiality was made the 6-1 third choice on the morning line.