Above: American Pharoah leaves the race track for the last time, retiring to stud as a true champion.
We, the fans of horse racing, ask for the stars and American Pharoah delivers! Other sports like tennis and baseball have a “Grand Slam” to finish their season and now, for the 1st time in history, so do we! We waited 37 years to have a Triple Crown winner and the horse to do this was American Pharoah. In 1984 the Breeders’ Cup Classic was created as the definitive race to highlight the year end champion of international racing. Going in to this year’s Breeders’ Cup, we knew that we might have the 1st champ to win both the Triple Crown and the BC Classic. We all waited eagerly and we got our Grand Slam!
Above: American Pharoah draws the largest paddock crowd at Keeneland, in Lexington, KY, that I have ever seen. My friends waited 4 hours or better to get a glimpse and it was difficult.
What a year to go with my passion and start blogging on the Thoroughbred industry. I started the very first day of this year with my brand new computer from Christmas. My experience has been one joy to the next. I love the opportunity to share with all of you as others in the industry are so kind to share with me as well. It has been an amazing year. Watching American Pharoah’s career is a dream come true for racing fans. He won the Kentucky Derby by a length, then the Preakness Stakes by 7 lengths and the Belmont Stakes by 5 and 1/2- lengths as fans wept for joy, many having seen such Triple Crown greatness for the 1st time in their lives. Yesterday, 10/31/15, he won the BC classic in 2:00.07 by 6 and 1/2- lengths!
Above: American Pharoah parades before taking post position 4 and then he blurs past me shortly after he breaks from the gate already in the lead.
The Breeders’ Cup Classic is a 1 and 1/4 mile race on the dirt with a purse of $5 million dollars. American Pharoah was the 3-5 favorite to win and he did so beating Keeneland’s track record, for a race of this length, which was 2:05.36. To learn more about American Pharoah and his connections check out the tags on my blog or read my post Fabulous Pharoah Too see more of his great BC Classic win, watch this cool video IMG_2961 and see my photos below.
Above: Victor Espinoza has no use for the whip. He points at us, the fans, as he sails by the finish line and we can’t even see American Pharoah’s hooves touch the ground.
Finally, thank you to all of my friends that got me great seats and photos and to Bob Baffert, American Pharoah’s trainer, Victor Espinoza, the amazing jockey, Ahmed Zayat, the owner, all of the fans, the industry employees and connections that helped to make history. Also, a special thanks goes out to American Pharoah, the horse. He has some character and true athleticism and passion. He will retire tomorrow at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud, in Kentucky. Let’s all hope he has a long happy life and sires many more champions like himself. This is Espinoza’s 3rd BC win. Baffert just won his 12th BC race. The Zayat family is enjoying their 1st BC win. In the BC Classic Effinex ran 2nd and Honor Code showed 3rd. Stay tuned for a full Breeders’ Cup post on all of the other great races over the 2 day event.
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Beautifully written, a true Champion. My 6th Triple Crown winner, my first the year I was I born in 1946.
Thank you for the compliment on my writing style. I could not have dreamed up a better topic than American Pharoah. That is sweet that you have 6 Triple Crown memories. I only have this 1. I bet you have some great stories to tell. Share my page with your friends and family and follow my other posts too, please. It makes my Thoroughbred blogging hobby more fun when I know I have an audience to enjoy it. Thanks, again!