American Pharoah, The Belmont Stakes, and The Triple Crown

by Victor Riches

American Pharoah has taken the horse racing

world by storm this season. Foaled in

February of 2012, he’s been trained by one of the best horse trainers of all time, Bob Baffert, who

needs no introduction in the horse racing world.

For those just tuning in, he’s a 4-time Kentucky Derby Winner, 6-time

Preakness Stakes winner, and won the

Belmont Stakes once in 2001.

So far, American Pharoah has dominated the field. Ridden by jockey Victor Espinoza, he edged frontrunners Dortmund and Firing Line by a length in

the Kentucky Derby. At the Preakness Stakes, despite a torrential downpour threatening to muddy his plans, American Pharoah crushed the competition, even catching a breather around the final turn before turning

on the heat and finishing several lengths in front of the competition.

Regarding the Belmont Stakes, many people consider it unfair that horses who haven’t run the first two legs can enter into the Belmont

Stakes and have a better chance at winning on fresher legs. However, the greatness of the Triple Crown lies in a young horse’s resiliency and supreme athleticism to complete all three of these

races on top. The field would be considerably thinned and far more predictable with the same set each time.

In any event, with just a couple of weeks before the Belmont Stakes (June 6th), the third and final leg of the

coveted Triple Crown, it’s time to take a look of what stands in the way of American Pharoah and history.

Five Belmont Stakes and Triple Crown Facts

1. Since 1919, there have been eleven Triple Crown winners: Sir Barton, Gallant Fox, Omaha, War Admiral, Whirlaway, Count

Fleet, Assault, Citation, Secretariat, Seattle Slew, and, most recently, Affirmed (1978).

2. Triple Crown winners Gallant Fox (1930) and Omaha (1935) are the only father and son pair to win Triple Crowns.

3.Since 1930, there have been twenty-three horses who have won both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, only to fall short in the Kentucky Derby. Since 2000, this has happened

six times, most recently with California Chrome.

4. The Belmont Stakes is the longest of the three legs of the Triple Crown, measuring at 1.5 miles, making it a true test!

5. This will be the 147th Belmont Stakes, with the first run in 1867 in Jerome Park,

New York.

Be sure to catch the Belmont Stakes on June 6th!

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