American Pharoah gets back to work

Last year's champion two-year-old male American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile),

who was

sidelined by injury just prior to the Breeders' Cup, returned to the worktab

at Santa Anita Monday morning. Under Martin Garcia, the Bob Baffert trainee

toured three furlongs on the fast track in :36 1/5.

Baffert has penciled in the March 14 Rebel (G2) at Oaklawn Park as his

comeback. Hence American Pharoah is scheduled to take the two-prep route to the

May 2 Kentucky Derby (G1).

The Zayat Stables homebred was upset as the 7-5 favorite in his career debut

at Del Mar, where he wound up fifth behind Om (Munnings). But Baffert kept the

faith in American Pharoah and pitched him into the Del Mar Futurity (G1).

Shedding the blinkers he'd worn at first asking, American Pharoah dominated

in wire to wire fashion by 4 3/4 lengths over Calculator (In Summation). The 1-2

favorite when stretching out to 1 1/16 miles in the September 27 FrontRunner

(G1) at Santa Anita, he again led throughout and kicked 3 1/4 lengths clear of

Calculator.