Preakness 2015 Winner: American Pharoah's Finishing Time, Highlights, Purse Info

American Pharoah's quest for the Triple Crown continued with success Saturday as he rode to a dominant victory at the 2015 Preakness Stakes.

The competition at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore was no match for the Kentucky Derby champion, who's suddenly on the precipice of becoming the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978.

Although the Belmont Stakes still looms as a challenge, it's worth savoring American Pharoah's effort through a sloppy Pimlico track struck with heavy rain just before the race's start. In a near wire-to-wire romp, American Pharoah made his biggest move in the final few furlongs en route to securing a $900,000 payday:

Credit should go to jockey Victor Espinoza, a seasoned pro who was aboard California Chrome for wins at the Derby and Preakness last year. Dealing with adverse conditions and the expectations of a prohibitive favorite, Espinoza wasn't rattled, as reflected in his superior horse's performance.

Check out the full results following American Pharoah's seven-length rout of the race's biggest long shot, Tale of Verve, who to be fair charged from last early to claim second place:

Place	No.	Horse	Jockey	Trainer
1	1	American Pharoah	Victor Espinoza	Bob Baffert
2	5	Tale of Verve	Joel Rosario	Dallas Stewart
3	7	Divining Rod	Javier Castellano	Arnaud Delacour
4	2	Dortmund	Martin Garcia	Bob Baffert
5	3	Mr. Z	Corey Nakatani	D. Wayne Lukas
6	4	Danzig Moon	Julien Leparoux	Mark Casse
7	8	Firing Line	Gary Stevens	Simon Callaghan
8	6	Bodhisattva	Trevor McCarthy	Jose Corrales

The time of 1:58.46 may seem slow on the surface, based on the following anecdote from The Downey Profile:

But considering the inclement weather that consumed the 140th Preakness Stakes, American Pharoah's time isn't so unworthy for a legitimate Triple Crown threat. The rain was coming down hard, and as is the case with many great champions, he saved the best for last.

ESPN Stats & Info adds further context in reference to the most recent Triple Crown winner, suggesting American Pharoah could have won by even more if he'd pushed harder:

Chris Fowler of ESPN felt American Pharoah didn't even exert too much effort to cross the finish ahead of his seven opponents:

Espinoza spoke about his third Preakness win and how he fancies his chances at the Triple Crown afterward, per America's Best Racing:

Those who may criticize American Pharoah's slow pace on a sludgy track may want to pause and consider what it might mean for his Triple Crown hopes ahead of the Belmont Stakes on June 6.

Belmont Park is anything but a walk in the park. It is a grueling test in Elmont, New York, spanning 12 furlongs (1.5 miles), which will pose a tall task for even someone with American Pharoah's physical skills.

What's most encouraging about American Pharoah's Saturday at Pimlico is how he showed off tremendous strength to power through the difficult conditions in the beginning.

When it looked as though his stamina was running thin, the finish proved he was more or less becoming disinterested in the task at hand than he was getting tired out. Espinoza didn't even have to crack the whip often at all to encourage American Pharoah in his blistering finish.

It will take similar fortitude to get the job done at Belmont Park, but American Pharoah has acquitted himself well enough at Churchill Downs and in the Preakness to give real legitimacy to his Triple Crown hopes.