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American Pharoah returns with gusto in Rebel
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| American Pharoah relished
the conditions, dominating his
first start on a wet track
(Oaklawn Park/Coady Photography) |
Zayat Stables LLC's American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) made a spectacular
return in Saturday's $750,000
Rebel
Stakes (G2), winning as easily as jockey Victor Espinoza pleased in his
first start since September. The bay colt provided trainer Bob Baffert with his
fourth Rebel victory in the last five years and confirmed his status as a
leading Kentucky Derby contender in the qualifying race.
"He was very impressive. He's an amazing horse," said Espinoza. "The first
time I rode him, Bob said he's the real deal. Bob's a Hall of Famer, so he
knows. Bob was confident, so that made me confident."
With the 50-point winner's share, American Pharoah is now fifth on the
Kentucky Derby Leaderboard.
The two-year-old champion was sidelined by a foot bruise last fall, forcing
connections to withdraw him from the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) in which
American Pharoah was the 2-1 morning line favorite.
He was sent off as the overwhelming 1-5 favorite versus six rivals in the 1
1/16-mile Rebel and did not disappoint a massive Hot Springs, Arkansas crowd
that came to see the accomplished front-runner put on a show. |
After bobbling at the start, American Pharoah quickly seized the lead over
the sloppy track and established moderate fractions in :24 2/5, :49 3/5 and 1:15
1/5 while up by about a length.
He put the race to bed leaving the far turn, widening his advantage as he
accelerated for home, and glided to the finish line under wraps, scoring by a 6
1/4-length margin.
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| American Pharoah left his
foes idling entering the stretch drive
(Oaklawn Park/Coady Photography) |
American Pharoah ripped part of his right front shoe off leaving the starting
gate but it made no difference for the smooth-striding winner.
"You always hope that he's as good as he's been showing us in the mornings
and he was today," Baffert said. "His right front shoe wasn't on right, and when
he can run like that all the way around with it like that, it shows you how good
he is. This was the perfect kind of race on the comeback, and it's pretty
exciting."
American Pharoah returned a paltry $2.80 win mutuel after stopping the
teletimer in 1:45 3/5.
Madefromlucky (Lookin for Lucky) outfinished Bold Conquest (Curlin) by 2 1/2
lengths for second. The Truth or Else (Yes It's True), who was exiting a
runner-up in the February 22 Southwest (G3) at Oaklawn, wound up a well-beaten
fourth.
American Pharoah finished fifth as the favorite when making his debut in a
Del Mar maiden special weight last August and broke his maiden while making his second
start in the Del Mar Futurity (G1), leading wire to wire and registering a 103
BRIS Speed for the 4 3/4-length decision.
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He followed with another front-running tour de force in the September 27
FrontRunner (G1) at Santa Anita, easily defeating subsequent Grade 3 winner
Calculator (In Summation) and next-out Breeders' Cup Juvenile victor Texas Red (Afleet
Alex) in the process.
A foot bruise forced him out of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and American
Pharoah returned to the worktab in early February at Santa Anita, posting six
drills in advance of the Rebel. He was coming back from a 168-day hiatus.
With the $450,000 Rebel payday, American Pharoah has now earned $811,500
winning three of four starts.
The exciting three-year-old is expected back at Oaklawn for his final
Kentucky Derby, the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) on April 11.
"You want to see how he comes back and how he trains from here," Baffert
said. "I'm just glad to get this one out of the way. We've got him back. I feel
fortunate to have two really top horses in him and Dortmund (Big Brown).
"There is a good chance we might be back for the Arkansas Derby with him."
Espinoza, a two-time Kentucky Derby winner, will be seeking back-to-back
tallies following last year's success with California Chrome. American Pharoah's sire, multiple Grade 1 winner Pioneerof the Nile (Empire Maker),
finished second in the 2009 Kentucky Derby for Zayat and Baffert.
Bred in Kentucky by Zayat, American Pharoah was listed as being sold at 2013
Fasig-Tipton Saratoga August sale for $300,000. He's the second registered foal
out of Yankee Gentleman mare Littleprincessma, who is herself a daughter of
stakes heroine Exclusive Rosette and a half-sister to Grade 2 victor Storm Wolf
and Grade 3 diva Misty Rosette.
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