Pharoah’ Targets Arkansas Derby

Champion juvenile American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) is set to make his next start in Oaklawn’s GI Arkansas Derby Apr. 11 after a runaway victory in the GII Rebel S. Mar. 14, owner Ahmed Zayat announced Friday. 

“That has been the plan,” Zayat said. “Timing-wise, it works best. But also, we don’t ship unless we’re ready. And funny enough, Bob [Baffert] think he’s ready today. The horse has been on a tear.” 

Winner of last term’s GI Del Mar Futurity and GI FrontRunner S., the bay was scratched just days before the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile with a bruised foot and was making his first start back in the Rebel. American Pharoah shipped back to Baffert’s California base after that race and will train there until the Arkansas Derby.