Following his successful sweep of the Triple Crown in the GI Belmont S. June 6, American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) graced the cover of the following week's edition of Sports Illustrated. He is now being promoted to a non-sports audience as he is splashed across the pages of the August edition of the top fashion magazine, Vogue.
Appearing statuesque with a bed of roses draped across his withers in a photograph taken by Steven Klein, the Zayat family runner was the subject of a two-page spread in the magazine written by Robert Sullivan and complete with interviews of Ahmed Zayat and trainer Bob Baffert, who admitted to the magazine that the nerves are kicking in as the second half of the season approaches.
“There's more pressure now training him because he's become this icon of racing,” Baffert told Vogue.
Zayat told the publication that he and his homebred horse have learned to communicate on a certain level.
“I'm going to sound wacko here,” Zayat told Vogue, “but he actually responds to my demeanor. If I'm nervous, I can tell from his eyes. He's saying, 'Don't worry–I'll get this done for you.'”
American Pharoah is slated to make his next appearance in the GI William Hill Haskell Invitational S. at Monmouth Park Aug. 2. He has recorded four official workouts since his Belmont victory, most recently breezing six furlongs in a bullet 1:11.40 (1/12) over the Del Mar main track July 18.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
