American Pharoah Impresses in Drill

Zayat Stables’ American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) worked five furlongs Sunday at Santa Anita in 1:00.40. The colt, last year’s juvenile champion, has been off since winning the Sept. 27 GI FrontRunner S. Trainer Bob Baffert called the work, “very impressive.” Baffert added, “He handled the work pretty well. He’s coming around pretty quickly.” 

The work was American Pharoah’s third recorded breeze since missing the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile with a suspensory-related injury. He is expected to make his sophomore debut in either the Mar. 7 GII San Felipe S. or Mar. 14 GII Rebel S. 

Stablemate Power Jam (Concord Point) was tabbed a J “TDN Rising Star” J after his impressive debut victory at Santa Anita Saturday (video). The effort was no surprise to his trainer. “He’s a really fast horse, like his sire,” Baffert said. The colt is a homebred for Kaleem Shah, who also campaigned Concord Point, winner of the 2010 GII West Virginia Derby and GIII Iowa Derby. Shah, along with son Arman, was on hand for Saturday’s victory. “Kaleem was so pumped up,” Baffert said.