American Pharoah and Victor Espinoza: Assessing Pedigree, 2015 Preakness Odds

Thundering colt and odds-on favorite American Pharoah galloped to a 2015 Kentucky Derby win on Saturday, spurred to a feverish push down the final stretch by jockey Victor Espinoza to just beat out the likes of Firing Line and Dortmund at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.

Although the win came by just a single length, it allowed American Pharoah to show off his amazing stamina and excellent closing speed. Had the race been even longer, Espinoza and his steed likely could have run to an even greater advantage, such was the strength AP showed at the tail end of the race.

ESPN Stats & Info notes it's been a fine stretch for Derby favorites:

It's esteemed trainer Bob Baffert's fourth winning horse at the Kentucky Derby (Baffert also trained third-place Dortmund). With such a knowledgeable trainer in American Pharoah's corner, the horse racing world should be excited to see what this thoroughbred does next. 

Odds Shark has a list of futures for American Pharoah—who will likely stick with Espinoza—including a -140 line for them to win the 2015 Preakness Stakes. According to HRTV Insider, Pharoah emerged from the Derby healthy, so he should be in line to run at the Preakness in Baltimore, Maryland:

American Pharoah's incredible performance racing in from the outside—he started at the No. 18 post and was still making his way over to the rail during the final turn—bodes well for his chances at the Preakness and the long Belmont Stakes.

Looking at his pedigree, it should be of little surprise that American Pharoah performed so well at the Kentucky Derby. Triple Crown-ready blood indeed courses through his veins. 

American Pharoah was sired by Pioneerof the Nile, who finished second to major underdog Mine That Bird at the 2009 Kentucky Derby. Pioneerof the Nile, in turn, was sired by Empire Maker, winner of the 2003 Belmont Stakes. Empire Maker is the son of Unbridled, who won the Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic in 1990. 

Sports Illustrated's Tim Layden notes that it was a brilliant training that drew Baffert to this Ahmed Zayat horse:

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In the spring of 2014, the McKathan Brothers held a special training show for Zayat’s two-year-olds. The star of that show was the still-unnamed American Pharoah, who blistered three-eighths of a mile on a deep training track. “It was ridiculous,” says J.B. McKathan. “He was flying.” Baffert watched tape of the workout and asked Zayat to let him train Pharoah. 

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That pedigree, combined with Saturday's win and some unreal training performances, has generated quite a buzz surrounding American Pharoah, perhaps even more so than California Chrome, who won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes in 2014.

Brynn Anderson/Associated Press

Here's Jim Mulvihill of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's take, per The Courier-Journal's Tim Sullivan:

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I thought last year California Chrome was as good as it could get for somebody in my position. But the buzz about American Pharoah at this point going into the Derby is beyond what Chrome was last year. There were a lot of California Chrome doubters at this time last year. I think there's more of a consensus on American Pharoah.

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California Chrome missed out on a Triple Crown with a disappointing performance at the Belmont Stakes, but AP appears to have even greater staying power than that horse. Espinoza is an experienced jockey and also happened to be atop California Chrome for the Derby and Preakness wins last year.

Espinoza's best finish at the Belmont Stakes came in 2001, when he rode A P Valentine to a second-place finish, per Equibase. With a powerful colt like American Pharoah, perhaps he can do one spot better in Belmont, New York, this year.