American Pharoah's Triple Crown Win Provides Blueprint for Future Champions
There’s a lot that must come together for a horse to win the Triple Crown of thoroughbred racing. But 37 years after Affirmed’s historic treble in 1978, everything aligned for American Pharoah at the Belmont Stakes, and his victory offers a perfect blueprint for potential champions in waiting.
With Victor Espinoza in the saddle, the Bob Baffert-trained colt added the win in New York to his Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes victories, ending a drought of Triple Crown winners that had spanned the better part of four decades.
Here’s a reminder of the iconic win:
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It was a moment that sent a genuine tingle down the spine. Granted, having waited so long, it was always going to be special when a horse completed the trio of prestigious chases. But hopefully we won’t have to wait quite as many years until we see another horse conquer Churchill Downs, Pimlico and Belmont Park in succession.
And you suspect we won’t, especially if the precedent set by American Pharoah is followed. Of course, the talent of the horse is the most important component, as are multiple uncontrollable factors, including the quality of opposition.
As noted by Darren Rovell of ESPN, the new Triple Crown champion may not have fared too well against some previous winners:
But there’s a reason why Baffert’s prized asset succeeded at Belmont while 13 other Kentucky-Preakness winners failed since 1978.
Having an experienced hand aboard was key. As we can see here, Baffert had a jockey in Espinoza who was passionate about the horse:
"After we won the Triple Crown I went to see American Pharoah to give him a big kiss pic.twitter.com/pl4ar49wE6
— Victor Espinoza (@EspinozasVictor) June 7, 2015"
He’s a savvy operator too. In Kentucky, Espinoza timed his ride’s finish to perfection, digging in to keep pace with Firing Line and Dortmund before surging away in the final stages. It was a controlled effort from American Pharoah, and with fatigue often playing a critical factor in potential winners faltering at Belmont, it was important to leave something in the tank.
The conditions at the Preakness posed a unique challenge. It’s not a circuit which often resembles a bog, but the horses that went out for a splash in the Stakes chase had to cope with some heavy ground underfoot. It was here that American Pharoah showed his star quality with a dominant performance.
As noted by Andrew Gross of the Record, it was a run that set the tempo for his eventual win at Belmont:
It would have enriched Espinoza’s confidence in this horse too. Not only had he enjoyed a fast finish at Churchill Downs and a serene display in wretched weather at Pimlico, but this horse seemed to have the staying power needed to go the extra distance at Belmont.
Having won the Preakness comfortably, as Baffert’s assistant Jimmy Barnes noted ahead of the final leg of the Triple Crown tilt, American Pharoah didn’t have to cope with the physical deterioration that hindered a lot of runners who have gotten to this point, per KY Derby Contenders:
That showed in earnest in the final race when everything that could have gone right for American Pharoah did so. He glided around the swooping opening curve at Belmont, leading a phalanx of competitors with a swagger.
It was a bold move from Espinoza, but the confidence he had in his ride oozed through in the opening stages of the race, while the final few furlongs were emblematic of an incredible horse that was ridden with control in Kentucky and poise in the Preakness.
As noted by NBC Sports, the win meant American Pharoah's name was etched eminently into the annals of racing:
If riders can get through those opening two races at Kentucky and the Preakness with a little left in the tank, as was the case this year, the Triple Crown is there for the taking at Belmont. But so often, little things can go wrong to scupper plans of trainers and jockeys, making this achievement by American Pharoah a very special one indeed.
Nonetheless, there are many in racing firmament who have never been witness to a Triple Crown champion. Now that this special horse has shown us all how it’s done, expect more contenders to come close in the coming years following the template set by Espinoza and American Pharoah.
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