‘Pharoah’ Works Bullet for Haskell

Triple Crown champion American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) worked a bullet six furlongs in 1:11.40 (1/12) at Del Mar Saturday morning. With Martin Garcia aboard, the track’s official clockers had American Pharoah in splits of :24.0, :36.20 and :59.20. The gallop out times were 1:24.40 and 1:38.40. “I think the bit of rain we got this morning might have been good for the track,” Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert said. “Tightened it up a bit. He went good. It was a good work for him. He needed it.” Garcia added, “He felt really good, he’s ready.” The handsome bay is working toward a start in the GI Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park Aug. 2. Baffert said there are no plans regarding when the horse will work next. “We just go step by step with this horse,” Baffert concluded. “Every work, every race we just go day by day.”