American Pharoah – everywhere! At Woodbine, his cousin won, and a fellow son of Pioneerof The Nile won the last race at Woodbine..the signs were all there!
PHAR- OUT!
AMERICAN PHAROAH Sunday morning with some friends – photo from American Pharoah twitter site
The anticipation was almost too much to bear.
And that was just for us mere spectators, racing lovers, horsepeople and members of the world’s great sport. Likely his owner, trainer and rider had trouble sleeping the night before.
Apparently for AMERICAN PHAROAH, the whole thing was just another walk in the park.
The Belmont Stakes, the 1 1/2 mile crusher that wraps up the American Triple Crown was American Pharoah against the world. Or against 7 horses who did not have to run in both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. Frosted was dangerous. Materiality had his backers.
But if you watch horse races for a living, you knew that by the first turn, a galloping, almost breezing, Pharoah was not going to lose.
He surged home to a deafening roar from 90,000 fans (capped by NYRA) and then was paraded up and down the track by Victor Espinoza as the fans were berserk.
Bob Baffert, a somewhat less-brazen Baffert these days, was humbled:
“I was talking to Jill the whole way around there and turning for home, I was preparing for somebody coming because I’ve been through this so many times. I was just hoping for once and I could tell at the 1/8 pole that it was going to happen. All I did was just take in the crowd. The crowd was just thundering and I was just enjoying the crowd and the noise and everything happening. Thirty-seven years we’ve waited for this but, you know what, this little horse he deserves it. He’s just a great horse and the way he’s been all winter and this spring has been incredible. I just feel like I have a very special horse, and he’s the one that won. It wasn’t me, it was the horse.”
The nuts and bolts of the race? The Pharoah won by 5 1/2 lengths over Frosted with Keen Ice third. The time of 2:26.65 was fine and the colt posted his usual 105 Beyer Figure.
He is off to Churchill Downs at lunch time today and, according to owner Ahmed Zayat, will rest up for a fall campaign.
How exciting will that be?
“American Pharoah was much the best horse in the field. I give him all the credit in the world. We have been waiting 37 years to see this. It’s great for the sport and the fans.” – Javier Castellano, on 6th pl finisher Madefromlucky
Cindy and Terence Dulay of horse-races.net sent us these..
And just to be a bit mischevious…Espinoza lands in the gossip pages..
TEPIN gets CASSE a Grade 1 on Belmont day
Woodbine’s leading trainer MARK CASSE sent out TEPIN to win the Grade 1 Just a Game Stakes on the Belmont card, a $700,000 race at 1 mile on the grass.
The 4yo filly by Bernstein, bred in Kentucky, has never raced in Canada but she has been a well travelled gal since she began her career in 2013. She has blossomed on the grass and is 5 for 11 in her career with $900,000 in earnings for owner Robert Masterson.
Mark Casse said:
“We didn’t think there was a lot of speed in there. My biggest concern was I thought the turf was pretty soft. When you saw the sprinters going 1:09 and change, it’s soft. In the paddock, I said to Julien ‘How’s the turf? Is it soft?’ and he said ‘It’s soft.’ So I wasn’t sure how she would handle that, but she’ll rate. The only reason she was on the lead the last time was if you looked at the race, she had to be on the lead.
This time, we thought Clement’s filly [Discreet Marq] would show some speed. I was a little surprised to see Coffee Clique up there, but maybe they thought last time that we stole it from them and they were going to make us work for it. We’re excited, we’re going to go to Saratoga for the first time in a long time. When you win a Grade 1 in front of a Belmont Day Stakes crowd, it’s pretty exciting.”
GOLDEN HORN blows away EPSOM DERBY
By Frank Keogh BBC Sport at Epsom
Frankie Dettori capped his renaissance with a thrilling victory on favourite Golden Horn to win the 236th running of the Derby at Epsom.
Dettori produced an ice-cool ride on the 13-8 favourite to beat his John Gosden-trained stablemate Jack Hobbs by three-and-a-half lengths, with Storm The Stars third.
The 44-year-old jockey punched the air as he passed the line and did a trademark flying dismount in the winner’s enclosure.
“It was unbelievable. The horse was brilliant,” said Dettori, riding for the first time in the race since returning from a six-month drugs ban two years ago.
In his 20th Derby ride, it was a second victory in the race for the Italian-born rider, who triumphed for the first time at the 15th attempt on Authorized in 2007.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/horse-racing/33036202
PENDER HARBOUR – THE REMARKABLE 7-YEAR-OLD ONTARIO BRED GELDING
Toronto ON.June 6, 2015.Woodbine Racetrack.Steady Growth Stakes,Pender Harbour Jockey Luis Contreras,WEG/michael burns photo
For the 3rd time, Pender Harbour won the Steady Growth Stakes at Woodbine and his win yesterday may have been one of his most impressive in years.
That is saying a lot since the old timer by Philanthropist has run some great races in his 36 starts (12 wins, $1.8 million). Owned by Denny Andrews, Roberta and Bob Giffin and Sandra Lazaruk, the sturdy chestnut, with his favourite rider Luis Contreras back on board, rallied wide from well back of a modest early pace to win by 3/4 of a length over a very game front runner Asserting Bear, making his first start since the Queen’s Plate last year.
Asserting Bear was later disqualified from 2nd and placed 4th for drifting out and closing off a hole that Millioninthemaking was going for. Keen Gizmo was placed 2nd after a good run to be 3rd.
The time of 1:43.08 was a 91 Beyer Figure.
The gelding cost $17,000 at the CTHS Woodbine yearling sale 6 years ago. Mike DePaulo trains Pender Harbour, bred by Gardiner Farms.
‘CANADIAN’ PHAROAH
If you are a regular reader of this space, you know that the dam of American Pharoah, Littleprincessemma, has a half sister living in Ontario – VINTAGE RED.
The old mare still has some runners and one of them, IDES OF MARC, made his career debut at Woodbine on Saturday in a maiden allowance for Ontario sired rivals.
The son of Marcavelly, who, by the way, raced for Zayat Stables, broke slowly in the 7 furlong dash, trailed, moved up inside into the turn but had no room and was steadied and taken back to last by Alan Garcia.
That turned out to be the best trip as many in the field were sent on the turn, some 7, 8 and 9 wide while Garcia just waited for an opening.
Once the gelding saw daylight, he was gone and he won for owner/breeder Ten Easy Pieces in 1:25.25 – a 57 Beyer Figure.
Ian Black trains the 4yo.
More Saturday –
SOCIETY’S CHAIRMAN, a graded stakes winning miler who stands at Shannondoe Farm, http://shannondoefarm.com/society.asp, sired his first starter and first winner.
CAREN, a filly bred by Shannondoe’s James and Janeane Everatt and Arika Everatt Meeuse, rallied to win the 4 1/2 furlong maiden allowance for Ontario sired gals to start the day. The filly was the 9th winner for the mare Jo Zak and Robert Marzilli owns and Mike DePaulo trains.
She posted a 57 Beyer Figure.
race 2- CLUB ONE TWO, owned and bred by George Bigliardi, won this allowance/optional claiming race in her season debut. Tyler Pizarro rode for trainer Paul Attard. The Beyer was 79. The mare is by Niigon and she is 5 for 8 in her career.
race 3- IMPETUOUS ACT won his maiden. Yep, after 23 races, the 5yo finally won a maiden allowance for Dr. Chris, Franz Crean and partner. The son of Harlington, bred by Hill ‘N’ Dale Farms in ONtario, has earned nearly $200,000.He posted a 75 Beyer Figure.
race 4- Texas Missy was scratched at the gate after acting up and this turf sprint went to MISS SEA, owned by Kevin Pasher, who works for the filly’s trainer Mike Keogh. This gal is 2 for 2 this year and she was a $6,000 yearling. She is by Marchfield and was bred by Sue Foreman. Luis Contreras rode. 7 furlongs in 1:23.75 was good for a 75 Beyer Figure.
Race 10 – Doogie, a son of Pioneerof The Nile, looked like he was about to lie down for a sleep in the post parade, but on the track he refused to give up and he won this allowance race by a head with a 77 Beyer Figure. Bred by Spring Farm, the gelding is owned by laconian Racing and trained by Josie Carroll. Omar Mroeno rode.
The race was oddly run and some good ones tried to rally from far back and made their moves too late. Queen’s Plate hopeful breaking Lucky was wide and rank early and faded late.
