The entire grandstand of Belmont Park pulsated with excitement. Derby and Preakness winner, Real Quiet, had just crossed the wire with Victory Gallop in an intense photo finish in the 1998 Belmont Stakes. It looked like Real Quiet had won. It looked like the Triple Crown had been claimed in the closest, most valorous of battles. After two, long decades, it appeared that the Triple Crown had finally been conquered. Fans across the nation held their breath in collective anticipation as the stewards reviewed the finish to discover who had hit the wire first.
After several agonizing, heart pounding minutes, the order of finish flashed onto the screen. The strident cheers and applause of the fans quickly turned into waves of shock, anger, and utter disappointment. Victory Gallop had won by a nose, denying Real Quiet his crown. It was a dirty defeat. Victory Gallop had come flying out of nowhere in the stretch, and somehow managed to match strides with Real Quiet just in time for he wire. The only moment he had the lead was right at the finish. Real Quiet was in front just before and just after the wire, and yet in the split second when it mattered the most, his lead was relinquished by the mere flare of a nostril.
Bob Baffert watched his stouthearted Derby winner pull up, and wondered what could have been. They had come so close to achieving racing's ultimate prize. And as heartbreaking as Real Quiet's defeat was, this wasn't Baffert's first rodeo in the whirlwind of Triple Crown drama.
Just one year earlier, in 1997, Baffert had been in a similar position with Silver Charm. Silver Charm claimed victory in the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, but lost the Belmont Stakes by only half a length. Heartbreak seemed to be the theme of the Belmont Stakes for Bob Baffert, and in 2002, the trainer found himself right back on the edge of greatness. He was allowed yet another shot when his colt, War Emblem, scored in the first two races. But just like before, it was not meant to be. The moment the gates opened in the Belmont Stakes, War Emblem stumbled, nearly lost his jockey, Victor Espinoza, and staggered home in eighth place. The glory for the 2002 Belmont Stakes was instead left to the 70-1 longshot, Sarava.
Fate had not been kind to the trainer when it came to the Triple Crown. He was allowed a glimpse of what it could be like, but in the end it was always stolen, leaving him to dream of what could have been, and hope for just one more shot. But he wasn't the only one struggling to sweep the coveted series. In fact, it was a struggle for the entire sport. No horse had successfully taken down the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes since Affirmed, in 1978. It was almost as if some strange, supernatural force was controlling the Belmont Stakes ever since that fateful day when Affirmed thundered over the wire. For whatever reason, the Triple Crown just wasn’t meant to be won yet.
As the years went on, people began to think that the Triple Crown would forever be left untouched. The feat was beginning to appear more and more impossible, and was starting to seem like more of a farfetched fantasy and less like reality. But then, just when things were looking hopeless, a horse came along that would change all of that.
In 2012, the horse that would give Bob Baffert another chance at immortality and restore hope in the entire sport was born. Around eleven in the evening, on February 2, a mare named Littleprincessemma delivered a bay colt at Stockplace Farm, near Winchester, Kentucky. The colt was by Pioneerof the Nile, who ran second in the Kentucky Derby for Bob Baffert in 2009. The little foal was born during a time when most considered the Triple Crown to be unattainable, yet he would be the one to put an end to the curse that plagued Belmont Park. No one could have guessed that night that the tiny, wobbly newborn was exactly what the sport had been waiting for.
The bay foal grew into a strong, athletic specimen and was given the name, American Pharoah. He was put into the care of Baffert, who kicked off his campaign at Del Mar, when the horse was two-years-old. American Pharoah erupted from the gate, but ran a lackluster fifth, leaving only four foes behind. Onlookers that day had no reason to suspect that the bay horse with the short tail would go on to become much of anything, but that’s the beauty of horse racing. A true champion can emerge anywhere at any time, especially when no one is expecting it.
After his dull effort at Del Mar, the real American Pharoah made himself known. The strapping bay went on to crush the competition in the Del Mar Futurity in only his second start. He then followed up that scintillating score by sailing to victory in the FrontRunner Stakes, displaying a stride that was so strong, so efficient, and so easily maintained that it brought back memories of Seattle Slew. The eerie way in which the colt moved without flaw began to captivate those around him. American Pharoah appeared to glide over the ground with unwavering stamina and unflappable confidence that mocked his rivals with every stride. His rare style began to gain him a following, despite the fact that he had only raced three times.
Yet another uncanny quality about the young horse was his easy going personality. Instead of being nervous or hot-headed as Thoroughbreds are known to be, American Pharoah was very calm and sweet tempered. He loved people and never appeared to have a care in the world. It was as if he knew how special he was and knew his fans could see it too.
American Phaorah missed out in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at the end of the season, but returned to the races as a three-year-old stronger than ever. The intrepid beast sprung back into action in the Rebel Stakes, where he toyed with his competition the entire way around the track. Flaunting his speed through the stretch, American Phaorah effortlessly waltzed over the wire by 6 1/2 lengths, leaving all of his foes battered and beaten.
A month later, American Pharoah dominated the competition in the Arkansas Derby. His faithful pilot, Victor Espinoza, never moved a muscle on his steed, and let American Pharoah do his own thing, which resulted in a sublime performance. American Pharoah romped to an eight-length victory with startling ease, stealing the breath of all who watched. American Pharoah was ready for the Kentucky Derby and had just stamped himself as the one to beat. With his four race winning streak and combined winning margins of 22 ¼ lengths, American Pharoah was the real deal. By now, the entire world was watching as the Triple Crown races loomed.
American Pharoah put on a gritty and determined display in the Kentucky Derby. Two formidable foes in Dortmund and Firing Line gave him everything they had in the stretch, but American Phaorah refused to back off. With unwavering courage, American Pharoah valiantly thundered forward to claim to lead and declare himself the winner of the roses.
Two weeks later, the field for the Preakness Stakes assembled at the historical track of "Old Hilltop". The beautiful blue sky above Pimlico ominously began to darken and clouds rapidly swarmed in, consuming the sun and blackening the land. Wind whipped through the steamy air as the foreboding growl of thunder rumbled in the distance. The sudden change of weather left the Preakness contenders on their toes. They could feel the static in the air, but it wasn’t just from the impending storm. Connections of the horses eyed the sky with apprehension, knowing that at any moment, the track could turn into an ocean. But when it came to American Pharoah and his connections, they had nothing to fear. American Pharoah was a monster on the slop and was ready to take full advantage of the situation. The rest of the horses would be at his mercy.
The Kentucky Derby winner was about to put on an exhibition.
With just minutes to post time the clouds opened up and unleashed their rage. Torrential rain poured relentlessly onto Pimlico, instantly drenching everyone in its wake. Water slammed down in sheets and in only a matter of minutes, flooded the track. With the horses already saddled and the track still deemed safe to run on, the show went on. The cheerful and bright song of “Maryland My Maryland” didn’t seem to match the murky scene as the horses mysteriously splashed through the fog on their way to the starting gate.
The track was a swamp, heavy rain poured, and a blinding fog cloaked all of Pimlico, but American Pharoah was not dismayed. Without hesitation, he bolted out of the gate, immediately took the lead, and it was all over from there. American Pharoah never looked back, sailing over the mud with pure ease. The race had become a game of “catch me if you can” and nobody could. Just like the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes belonged to the “Pharaoh”.
American Pharoah’s foes all tried to make their bids for glory, but he shut them down and broke their hearts. Once in the stretch, American Pharoah separated himself from all of his competitors, and began to run away with the win. With breathtaking strength, American Pharoah steamrolled toward the finish line. The colt was gliding over the ground with such grace that it was as if he had sprouted wings. American Pharoah easily took down the 140th Preakness Stakes by seven convincing lengths. Two down, one to go. This insurmountable mission was almost complete.
The mile-and-a-half oval of Belmont Park loomed with mystery, waiting for its newest Triple Crown hopeful to meet his fate. The racing world was counting on American Pharoah to prove that the Triple Crown could still be won. The brilliant horse gave fans a new sense of hope, yet their optimism was also laced with caution. After all, strange things have occurred in the Belmont Stakes whenever the Triple Crown was on the line.
The Belmont Stakes had seen champions who were incredibly dominate in the Derby and Preakness inexplicably shy away and falter under the pressure of the final test. From Derby and Preakness winner Charismatic suffering a career ending injury in the final eighth of a mile in the Belmont Stakes, to I’ll Have Another not even making it into the starting gate in 2012. When the Triple Crown is on the line, the Belmont Stakes becomes uncharted territory. It’s where the incomparable Spectacular Bid left an entire grandstand flabbergasted when he failed to conquer the Triple Crown. The super horse was so great that his trainer, "Bud" Delp, used to refer to him as “the greatest horse to look through a bridle”. Spectacular Bid’s record of 26 victories in 30 starts speaks volumes. The fact that a horse of his caliber failed to take the crown is shocking, but what likely prevented the young colt from winning is even stranger.
Prior to the 1979 Belmont Stakes, Spectacular Bid stepped on a safety pin, which became lodged in his hoof, leading to an infection. Though the “Bid” was later pronounced sound to run, many credit his shocking loss to his freak accident with the safety pin.
Spectacular Bid’s mischance was the first of many freaky Belmont Stakes results. In 2004, the highly regarded Smarty Jones tasted his first defeat when he failed to take racings ultimate prize. Another shocker came in 2008, when the undefeated Big Brown staggered into the stretch of the Belmont Stakes and simply gave up. The mighty horse that was once unbeatable failed to finish the race, and to this day, there is no definitive answer as to why. What makes his loss even more mysterious is the fact that Big Brown never lost another race again after that odd day in New York.
With the strange history of the Belmont Stakes in mind, many wondered if American Pharoah would finally be the one to do it. Would he be the one to answer the question that beckoned for 37 long years? The odds were against him, considering the fact that so few have done it. As the record shows, it really isn’t normal for a horse to be able to take all three races. Not to mention, the curse of the Belmont Stakes was waiting for him, just like it did for all the others. It’s vast and taxing stretch has led the way to heartbreak more often than not, plaguing some of the greatest champions to grace the track, including American Phaoroah's own stablemates before him. However, American Pharoah was not like the others. This colt was about to make headlines everywhere. He was about to prove that the Triple Crown was not impossible. The many horses that had tried and failed just weren’t the horses for the job. It was going to take a pharaoh to break this impenetrable curse.
On June 6, 2015, the world turned its attention to the gaping oval of the Belmont Stakes. An entire generation had yet to witness the sweep of a Triple Crown, and at last the time had come. Fans across the nation were about to see a nearly inconceivable feat.
The strident crowd trembled as American Pharoah and his seven rivals entered the starting gate. Nerves, excitement, and anticipation pulsated throughout New York, with no one knowing exactly what to expect from this Triple Crown hopeful. Since 1979, Triple Crown attempts always ended the same way: in failure. But if American Pharoah felt the weight of the world on his shoulders, he didn’t show it. The unflappable colt confidently stared down the track, waiting for the gates to open. Thirty-seven years had been long enough.
A tremendous roar shot throughout Belmont Park the moment the horses took off, and continued with full force, as if to fuel American Pharoah on with their applause. The intrepid Derby winner marched right to the front to take command of the race. This was his moment and he wanted to be in charge every step of the way. If one of his rivals wanted to win, they would have to come and catch him. In this moment, American Pharoah feared no one.
American Pharoah daringly led the field around the massive oval, gradually increasing his lead as he went. It was a bold move to set the pace in a race this long, but the young colt showed no signs of yielding. His love for running was unmistakable, and the dauntless horse was not about to stop. In fact, he began gaining speed, as if possessed by the task ahead.
The crowd grew louder and louder as American Pharoah continued to gain speed. With boundless energy, American Pharoah sped around the rolling turn and charged into the stretch, his glory now on full display. With his eyes set ahead at the wire, American Pharoah picked up the pace once again, and it all began to look real.
Frosted, who was fourth in the Kentucky Derby, was making a frantic move in to second, going all out in an attempt to steal they moment from American Pharoah, but it just wasn’t enough. Not only was American Pharoah still leading, but he did it with startling ease. The audacious youngster passionately galloped toward the finish line, shaking the ground with his raw strength. Since Affirmed, every Triple Crown hopeful had been caught in the stretch, but American Pharoah just kept on going. It became clear that no one was going to pass this champion, and the surreal realization sent the crowd into a fit of pure hysteria.
The deafening cries of the crowd carried from the grandstand to the winner’s circle, where the elusive trophy that had sat for nearly four decades in waiting was about to be claimed. People watched with astonishment when American Pharoah found yet another gear, flying forward with unparalleled speed, and separated himself from all challengers. An explosion of noise that had spent 37 years building up took over the scene when track announcer, Larry Collmus, spoke the words that many feared would never be said. “And here it is. The 37 year wait is over! American Pharoah is finally the one!!! American Pharoah has won the Triple Crown!!!” The unalloyed awe and wonder was clear in his voice when American Pharoah stormed over the finish line five and a half lengths ahead of his nearest competitor, and ended the longest Triple Crown drought the world had ever seen. In that one moment, American Pharoah erased 37 years of disappointment. In that one moment, the horse silenced all doubters and restored hope in his sport with nothing but his raw talent and undeniable will to win. American Pharoah reminded everyone that it truly was not impossible, no matter how elusive the feat.
An emphatic blast erupted throughout the city, shaking the ground like thunder. The emotion was as raw and as pure as it could be, with fans rejoicing in the wake of a broken curse. Strangers were hugging each other in celebration as tears streamed down their faces, passionately celebrating the fact that the impossible had been achieved. The vociferous applause reached a blaring level and raged on with no signs of stopping, moving the earth with the force of an earthquake. Nearly four decades of pent up vexation was finally released through endless shouts of joy and amazement. Waiting for a Triple Crown winner had been so frustrating, so dispiriting, and had taken so long. Yet, all of the previous disappointment was let go in one massive roar from the crowd, all thanks to a miraculous horse with a misspelled name, and a team of people who refused to give up.
The astronomical triumph of American Pharoah was so powerful and so riveting that it made grown men weep without shame, and made even the hardest of horsemen believe again. Words cannot articulate the euphoria that spread like wild fire through the hearts of racing fans on that pivotal day. American Pharoah left an imprint in the hearts of millions by doing the impossible, and took his place among the eleven legends.
American Phaorah came along at a time when the sport was beginning to lose hope, but when he took flight, all of that changed. When the mighty horse ran, he allowed people to hope, to dream, and to believe. American Pharoah rewrote racing history, achieving the impossible and igniting a newfound hope in the Sport of Kings. He was the one horse that was finally able to answer the question that burned for 37 long years. American Pharoah proved once and for all that, yes, it still can be done.
As we hone in on the 2018 Belmont Stakes, it is Bob Baffert who is once again on the cusp of glory. This time around, the white-capped trainer is taking on the Triple Crown with the undefeated, Justify. The hulking, chestnut has aced every test and defeated every challenge he has faced so far, and looks to match his famous stablemate as a conqueror of the Crown. This position is not unique to Bob Baffert. He has been here many times before, and although most of those attempts have ended in failure, American Pharoah reminded the trainer that the Triple Crown can be won, and therefore, it might be done again. Justify has yet to meet his match, and if he can keep his winning ways alive, he might just become lucky #13 on our short list of Triple Crown legends.
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Thank you to Eric Kalet for the pictures of American Pharoah and Justify! You can find his work here http://erickalet.zenfolio.com/
And thank you to Coglianese Photo/NYRA for the image of Real Quiet and Victory Gallop!
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