American Pharoah did what so many had hoped he would in the 141st running of the Kentucky Derby. Besides merely win, he lived up to his promise. The colt showed he could stalk and pounce. He proved that when challenged in the stretch he could out-will and outrun a tough rival.
There is no doubt American Pharoah is talented, but don’t bronze him yet.
He was all out to beat Firing Line by a length on Saturday after getting a perfect trip in what was not a very fast time: 2 minutes 3.02 seconds. The colt also was used hard as his jockey, Victor Espinoza, went to his whip incessantly — 30 times by one count — in the stretch.
Continue reading the main story
RELATED COVERAGE
Kentucky Derby 2015: American Pharoah Wins a Close RaceMAY 2, 2015
Philip S. Birsh, president and chief executive of the theater publication Playbill, in his Manhattan office.Going From Broadway to Racing’s Biggest StageMAY 2, 2015
American Pharoah was last year’s 2-year-old champion and has won four of his five races.On Horse Racing: At Long Last, a Kentucky Derby Only About the HorsesMAY 1, 2015
Now he heads to the Preakness Stakes carrying the heavy weight of Triple Crown hopes in his saddle. In recent years, the series’ second leg has been something of a walkover for the Derby winner. While he has to go, the owners and the trainers of the better horses that failed on the first Saturday in May have opted to rest for five weeks and wait for the Belmont Stakes, where they are inevitably joined by late-blooming 3-year-olds.
Last year, one of those, Tonalist, stopped California Chrome’s Triple Crown bid, much to the nationally televised chagrin of Steve Coburn, one of Chrome’s co-owners.
But something funny may be happening this year on the way to Baltimore: The connections of Firing Line and the third-place finisher, Dortmund, are leaning toward trying American Pharoah again in the Preakness.
“You’d have to think if all is well that he’s earned that right,” said the trainer of Firing Line, Simon Callaghan. “We believe we can be right there with American Pharoah.”
On Sunday, Callaghan and Firing Line’s owner, Arnold Zetcher, were heartened their colt appeared none the worse for wear and were eager to train him with an eye on turning the tables on the Derby winner. “We’ll let the horse tell us,” Callaghan said.
Perhaps more surprising is that Bob Baffert, who trained American Pharoah and Dortmund, is in favor of running Dortmund back against his stablemate. He had painstakingly kept the two apart until the Derby. American Pharoah’s owner, Ahmed Zayat, is one of his clients, as is Dortmund’s owner, Kaleem Shah. Each owner knows that his horse is probably destined to run again against the other’s, who lives only a few stalls away.
After all, Dortmund may have suffered his first defeat in seven races, but he finished only three lengths behind American Pharoah.
“My job is to get my people there,” Baffert said. “It’s one of those things where I will sit down and discuss it with Kaleem Shah. I’m sure he’s going to want a little revenge. His horse ran a really good race. If Pharoah is that good, he’s going to have to run hard.”
And as much as horse lovers and casual fans in general would like to see a 12th Triple Crown champion and the first since Affirmed in 1978, the sport would be just as well served by three competitive races featuring the best horses in training.
In 1997, when Baffert captured his first Derby, he was part of one of the most thrilling Triple Crown chases ever. His Silver Charm bested the runner-up, Captain Bodgit, and the third-place finisher, Free House, in the Derby. Two weeks later, the colt won again, this time ahead of Free House, Captain Bodgit and a new shooter in Touch Gold.
Captain Bodgit was retired shortly after the Preakness with swelling in a tendon in his lower left front leg, but Free House and Touch Gold were back for the Belmont. In one of the great finishes in thoroughbred history, Touch Gold caught Silver Charm in the deep stretch to win and deny a Triple Crown.
“If you look back at all the Triple Crown runners, they ran a lot,” Baffert said. “I think a lot has to deal with who you are running against and how tough it is. This was such a tough Derby. This was the toughest Derby I’ve been in.”
In 1978, Affirmed was 12 for 14 coming out of the Derby. American Pharoah now has five victories in six starts — not exactly golden age numbers, but he does have a solid foundation.
There is no doubt the colt had a tough race Saturday against two accomplished rivals. American Pharoah showed he had grit, but he was hardly invincible. Few horses are.
Still, Zetcher and Callaghan, Shah and Baffert can do American Pharoah and racing a huge favor by bringing Firing Line and Dortmund to the Preakness.
Let’s see a good horse earn the Triple Crown.
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire