It’s not quite the long goodbye — the U.S. will bid farewell to its latest equine sweetheart over a mere mile and a quarter this weekend.
American Pharoah is aiming to go out with a bang by winning the nation’s richest horse race, the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, and become the first to ever double it up in the same season with the prestigious Triple Crown.
It is no wonder that trainer Bob Baffert calls him “our modern-day Secretariat” — referring to the 1973 Triple Crown champion, voted No. 2 in Blood-Horse magazine’s top 100 of the 20th century.
American Pharoah has transcended horse racing: The three-year-old’s appeal stretches way beyond your average racegoer.
For evidence, look to the 20,000 people who turned up to watch him train prior to his last race; the fact his jockey Victor Espinoza appeared on the recent “Dancing with the Stars” TV series; and the Twitter fan account with 10,000 followers and rising.
“It was like bringing the Beatles to town,” Baffert told the LA Times of that run-out before his previous race in late August, his first defeat in his last nine races and only the second of his career. “The day before the race, he went for a gallop and there were 15-20,000 people watching.”
Justin Zayat, the son of owner Ahmed Zayat, is studying at New York University as well as acting as racing manager at Zayat Stables.
“I now go to New York City and people look and say, ‘Hey, it’s horse boy’, so I went from not being recognized to people clapping wherever I go,” he explained to City & State.
American Pharoah’s greatest appeal, it would appear, is his ability to win virtually every race, a befitting outcome for a horse born on Groundhog Day.
But it is also in the quality of the races he has won, not least of all in becoming the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978 and only the 12th in history, as well as the geography of the races run.
American Pharoah does not appear to have been affected by traveling, winning his eight races (out of 10) in six different states.
Because of his pace and popularity, he is already the comfortable favorite for Saturday’s Classic and bookmakers have already spoken about the “Pharoah effect” on betting markets.
Pete Laverick, director of marketing for BetAmerica.com, told Forbes magazine: “There was a lot of additional betting generated by California Chrome’s close call with the Triple Crown in 2014 leading up to the Belmont Stakes.
“However, the difference has really been noticeable in 2015 when you look at betting totals for the races which Pharoah has competed in since the Belmont.
“Betting on the Travers Stake and the Haskell Invitational following American Pharoah’s Triple triumph were both up 51% on the previous year at BetAmerica. We anticipate betting on this year’s Breeders’ Cup will see similar growth this year as well due to the Pharoah effect.”
America clearly loves a winner and not even August’s shock second-placing to Keen Ice, who is also in the field for the Classic, has failed to dampen the nation’s love for a horse whose name has been spelled incorrectly since an error at registration.
After that Travers Stakes defeat, Zayat Snr. toyed with retiring Pharoah to stud rather than run in the Classic.
“You have to comment to yourself, ‘Okay, is the show over?'” he told reporters. “Is it the time? He put in a brave run but it wasn’t good enough. We are very accustomed to him running incredibly good.
“Have I pushed the envelope too much? I really wanted it for the sport and my doing it was absolutely — and I shouldn’t be apologetic — of any financial gain or any nonsense like that.”
Victory on Saturday would further cement his reputation as one of American horse racing’s all-time greats.
Baffert, who trained last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Bayern, is under no illusion where Pharoah ranks.
“He’s sweet, quiet, the best horse I ever had. I will miss him. It will be sad,” he told the LA Times.
In fact, there will be an element of mourning for the entire Zayat Stables, with Justin echoing such sentiments.
“It’s going to be sad for me to see his last race, the last time the saddle goes on his back, a rider on his back, all those things,” he said.
“But I just want him to come out healthy and enjoy his next career, because he owes nothing to any of us and we owe the world to him.”
After Saturday’s race, American Pharoah will go out to stud and, in theory, make a lot of money. After all, his own sire Pioneerof the Nile’s stud fees have risen to $125,000 recently.
So can he go out with a bang? Baffert is more than just hopeful.
“I feel confident I have him at that level that he’s going to run a big race. He’s right on schedule.”