Pharoah commands respect

Triple Crown star is 1-5 favorite in Travers Stakes.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — With a dozen roses and about 300 people waiting to greet him, Triple Crown winner American Pharoah arrived at Saratoga Race Course on Wednesday and was led offff a horse van next to his barn after a flflight from California.

American Pharoah seemed to be adjusting well to his new home leading up to Saturday’s Travers Stakes. He was walked around the barn area by Jimmy Barnes, trainer Bob Baffffffffffffert’s assis- tant, and then given a sponge bath.

The colt left Del Mar in California on Wednesday morning, arrived at the airport in Albany about 2 p.m., and was given a police escort up Interstate 87. The Pharoah entourage pulled into the backstretch just before 3 p. m., where hundreds of fans, media members and the mayor of Saratoga had gathered.

One fan left a dozen roses in a vase on a table in the courtyard by American Pharoah’s barn. The fifirst Triple Crown winner in 37 years was led into his stall following his bath. The horse is staying in the barn of trainer John Terranova.

“It was actually a fairly quick trip, 12 hours stallto-stall,” Barnes said. “Traveling with Pharoah, they make it very convenient for us. We’re the last one to show up to the plane and the fifirst one offffffffffff. Everybody has been very cooperative with that.”

A winner in eight straight races after a career-opening loss, American Pharoah is scheduled for a jog this morning and a Friday morning gallop that will be open to the public.

American Pharoah drew the No. 2 post and is the 1-5 favorite in the 10-horse Travers fifield. If he starts, the purse of the 1 1/41/4-mile race increases by $350,000 to $1.6 million, with the winner earning $850,000.