Waiting anxiously for the “Test of a Champion”, on Saturday June 6, American Pharoah will line up at Belmont Stakes for the chance to sweep The Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont, if Pharaoh manages to win at Belmont, it will be the first horse to have achieved the Triple Crown since Affirmed did it back in 1978.
American Pharoah has been training effortlessly on Churchill Downs under wet weather, Neil Howard is very positive for the thoroughbred’s chances to sweep the race, with nearly 50 years experience under his belt he was impressed with the horse’s performance, American Pharoah will not only be racing the longest stretch from the three races but is obvious the other contenders have adjusted their strategy to overcome the so far in tip-top shape horse, American Pharoah is thankful for the rest, -the small amount given-, this difference is the crucial reason why the Triple Crown has not been achieved in 37 years and thirteen times later the result has been the same, since 2006 every winner of the Belmont stakes has not participated in all three races, that’s nine races where the winners have skipped one or more races completely this brings an obvious disadvantage for the two-to-three favorite for the upcoming race.
Bob Baffert trainer for American Pharaoh knows exactly what he’s walking into with the past three attempts to gather the three legs from the coveted Triple crown ended in tears, War Emblem stumbling out of the starting gate some 13 years ago, Silver Charm back in 1997 passed on the last stretch by Touch Gold, and a year after that a head bob decided the race for Victory Gallop over Real Quiet, Baffert understands the unfairness of the competition for the Triple Crowner seekers, American Pharoah will be the only horse after the last leg this Saturday, strangely with “odds” against him there’s still a glimmer of hope from the players lining up to play for the Triple Crown at the betting windows, and after Carpe Diem and The Truth Or Else pulled out from the race this Monday the odds have been boosted waiting for American Pharoah’s owner Ahmed Zayat to close the odds even more for the horse chances to take home the Triple Crown the 14th try in some 40 years.
