Pharoah was one of a kind, says Zayat
HORSE RACING AMERICAN PHAROAH, the racing legend owned by Egyptian-born Jewish businessman Ahmed Zayat, won the Breeders’ Cup Classic in Kentucky to take his prizemoney earnings to a staggering £5.5 million.
The Keeneland victory added to his Triple Crown success in which he landed the Belmont and Preakness Stakes and the Kentucky Derby – the first time that had been achieved for 37 years.
American Pharoah, who won nine of his 11 races, will now be retired to stud.
Zayat said: “What a horse, the kindest, f r i e n d l i e s t , happiest, easiest, most brilliant horse I have ever seen in my life.
“We h a v e been very privileged. We owe American Pharoah everything. He is once in a lifetime.”
Zayat, 52, bred American Pharoah at his Zayat Stables, which he runs with his eldest son Justin. He and his wife Joanne are Orthodox Jews and live in Teaneck, New Jersey.
They have three other children, Ashley, Benjamin and Emma, their youngest, who inspired the name of American Pharoah’s dam, Littleprincessemma.
The family arrive at racecourses in their own luxury caravan to enable them to keep Shabbat.
Trainer Bob Baffert said: “He’s probably the greatest horse I’ll be involved with. He was a gift from God.”
Ahmed Zayat