Pharoah in Fine Form After Classic Win

Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) is doing very well following his romp in Saturday’s GI Breeders’ Cup Classic, according to conditioner Bob Baffert.

“He came back in great shape,” Baffert commented. “He’s ready to go around again. He really put on a show yesterday. I knew at the half-mile pole [that he would win big] from the way he was running. The way he was going, he just breaks other horses’ hearts. The good horses do that, they just break other horses’ hearts.”

The Hall of Famer continued, “Yesterday he showed the horse that he is. I know how good he is because I’ve trained some really good ones. I’ve had others who were as fast as he is, but they couldn’t sustain it. You’ll never see a horse travel and ship like that and win at every track he went to, except for the Travers. His mechanics and his personality are also what set him apart. I’m glad he finally got a track record [in the Classic]. He was ready yesterday.”

In what has become a post-race tradition, Baffert brought American Pharoah out to greet the fans and press Sunday morning for the last time. The Classic was the career finale for the Zayat Stables homebred, who will head from Keeneland to Ashford Stud where he will begin his new career.

“He’s going to Ashford [Monday] morning,” Baffert said. “I will go with him to see him get settled in. It will be very sad to say good-bye and walking him this morning was emotional, but I don’t feel like I’ll be leaving him. Letting him down [from his racing career] will be easy. He’s ‘Mr. Chill.’ We’ll be coming to Ashford to see him.”

American Pharoah, the 12th Triple Crown winner and first in 37 years, retires with nine wins, eight of which were Grade Is, from 11 starts and earnings of $8,650,300. The talented bay already has one Eclipse Award to his name as last year’s champion juvenile and is at the top of the list to collect two more this year in the Champion 3-year-old and Horse of the Year categories.

“This is the best horse I’ve ever had in my training career,” Baffert remarked. “It’s been a fantastic year with him. I was crying when he turned for home. I was thinking of my parents. This horse has an angel on his back. He is a gift from God. This guy had the brilliance, the speed and the personality. He was the perfect racehorse.”