American Pharoah getting some R&R

Last updated: 6/19/15 5:39 PM

Fans and media lined up to greet American Pharoah in his Santa Anita return on Thursday
(Benoit Photos)

While Bob Baffert has mentioned three races — the $1 million Haskell
Invitational (G1) on August 2 at Monmouth Park, $600,000 Jim Dandy
S. (G2) on August 1 at Saratoga and $1.25 million Travers S. (G1) on August 29
at the Spa — as “options” for American Pharoah’s (Pioneerof the Nile) next race, any firm
commitment for the immediate future is on hold as the first Triple Crown winner
since Affirmed in 1978 recovers from the Rock Star treatment he’s received since
capturing the Belmont S. (G1) on June 6.

“Every time we have an experience like we had yesterday, it
sort of brings back the feeling of winning the Triple Crown and seeing all the
people,” Baffert said Friday, the morning after American Pharoah arrived home at
Santa Anita following a flight from Kentucky, a police escort from Ontario
Airport, and a horde of media and fans on hand to welcome him.

“It was nice to see the horse back, but I can tell he was a
little bit tired from being shown so much, so now that he’s here, we need to
tighten up the show circuit a little bit. He probably needs a little bit of
freshening, because this wears on him. When he was in Kentucky, they were
bringing him out a lot and showing him to people, sharing him with everybody.

“But now that he’s here, it’s a different life. He handles
it well because he’s so smart.”

American Pharoah’s countless fans and well-wishers will
have at least one more opportunity to see racing’s newest Triple Crown winner in the flesh when
the champion will make a public appearance at Santa Anita on Gold Cup
Day next Saturday, June 27.

“We want to thank American Pharoah’s owner, Ahmed Zayat,
and his trainer, Bob Baffert, for being so incredibly generous in sharing this
horse with fans from coast to coast,” Santa Anita Chairman Keith Brackpool said.
“We’re excited to present him to the public on June 27. It should make for a
tremendous day for those joining us on track and on television throughout the
world.”

Asked if he had a horse for the $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita (G1), Baffert said, “I might want to run Hoppertunity
(Any Given Saturday). He just
ran, and I think I’m looking at him right now.”

The Grade 1-scoring Hoppertunity finished third in the Stephen Foster
H. (G1) at Churchill Downs on June 6.

NBCSN will televise the Gold Cup live from 5-6 p.m. (PDT).

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