American Pharoah is owned by Zayat Stables, which is headed by Ahmed Zayat. Pharoah was bred by the stable and was born in February 2012 in Lexington, Ky. Pharoah is the son of Pioneerof the Nile, who finished second in the 2009 Kentucky Derby. Ahmed Zayat said before the Belmont that American Pharoah likely would retire at the end of 2015. Zayat also announced that Pharoah would stand at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud in Kentucky, from which he fetched an undisclosed stud fee that, Zayat announced, would escalate based on performance. Justin Zayat, son of Ahmed Zayat, told ESPN in May that the stable rejected offers of more than $20 million from breeding farms.
Pharoah, a bay colt with a white star on his forehead, outraced Firing Line and Dortmund, among others, to win the 1 1/4-mile Kentucky Derby on May 2. Two weeks later, Pharoah outclassed a field that again included Dortmund and Mr. Z to win 1 3/16-mile Preakness Stakes on a sloppy course after a heavy rainstorm. The Belmont Stakes, at 1 1/2 miles, is longer than either of the first two legs of the Triple Crown and is thus known as the “Test of the Champion.” Pharoah entered Saturday with more than $3.7 million in career earnings; the Belmont pays out a purse of $800,000 to race winners.
When was the last Triple Crown winner in baseball? 1967?
How was anyone supposed to make any money off this race? Brutal payouts.
I wept when he crossed the finish line by six lengths — after a mile and a half distance, which none of these horses had ever run before.
He led nose to nose.
He is a truly great horse. I am so very glad for him, and the people around him who trained and cared for him. And that definitely includes his main trainer, Bob Baffert (whom my husband detests, and so is not pleased with the outcome of this race).