Okay so American Pharoah lost. That's okay though, it's not like he was the first heavy favorite to lose at Saratoga. Man O' War, Secretariat, Affirmed (although he was DQ'ed) and Rachel Alexandra, they all lost at the Spa and their legacys weren't tarnished at all. I'm very proud of how AP ran and honestly Keen Ice was due. He had a pretty good Derby, an excellent Belmont and honestly had AP been eased a little more in the Haskell, he was going to get there.
If this was indeed the last we saw of the Triple Crown winner, then what a rotten way to go out. However, I do think we'll see him at least one more time. So congrats to Javier Castellano, Donagal and Dale Romans.
In other news:
Runhappy's Kings Bishop win was very impressive, however I was more impressed by Sheer Drama's Personal Ensign win.
Untapable is just not the same horse this year, she was last year.
What the heck happened to Stopchargingmaria?
I'm shocked that I was right about Texas Red, and can Upstart PLEASE go to a G2 to show that he is a pretty good horse... or at least a race where theres no AP, Ice or Frosted?
Ice and Om are the only horses to defeat AP so far.
If Pharoah is done, Beholder will likely be your Classic favorite.
Overall a great Travers day, hopefully Woodward day next week with the Spinaway is just as good.
Showing posts with label American Pharoah. Show all posts
Showing posts with label American Pharoah. Show all posts
August 29, 2015
June 7, 2015
A Crown to Remember
It's been a day since the amazing Belmont which American Pharoah showed why he was the one that could finish possibly the hardest sporting accomplishment, the Triple Crown. Today I thought I would put into words the thoughts that I have going thorough my head. First though here is that remarkable replay.
Affirmed's run in 1978 was ten years before I was born. Even though I was born in New York, my love of horse racing didn't start until I had moved to Delaware (although my love of horses did begin in the Empire State). American Pharoah came when I was at a bit of a crossroads in my love of horse racing. While part of me still cared for the sport, in a way I was ready to move on. He changed that perspective and now ready to move on with the rest of the year with me hopefully seeing him at least once (if he goes to the Haskell or Travers that is).
In the Derby I was all over Upstart and Carpe Diem. I had loved both of them at 2 and they had a great 3yo prep season. I didn't like Pharoah at all as I had wanted a horse from FL to do well after a somewhat meh previous TC trail. I was wrong as Pharoah barely won and both of my picks where uptrack finishers.
In the Preakness, Danzig Moon who had done extremely well in the Derby was my pick with Divining Rod a nephew to Kitten's Joy and owned by Barbaro's connections finishing second. Then the rain came and Pharoah was just licking his chops. Rod saved my day finishing third.
The Belmont was different. I wanted to pick Pharoah, but the pessimist in me knew that there where going to be fresh horses. In the end, I said screw it (sorry for the language!) and went with my heart. Keen Ice and Frosted where my picks to fill out the place and show spots because I liked their trainers and knew they had done well in the Belmont in the past. Even though I had the eventual 2nd and 3rd place finishers flipped, I was right on with Pharoah becoming the Pharaoh of the Belmont.
AP has cemented 3yo Champion Male and very likely HOY honors. It will interesting where he shows up next and wherever it is, he will attract a great crowd.
Affirmed's run in 1978 was ten years before I was born. Even though I was born in New York, my love of horse racing didn't start until I had moved to Delaware (although my love of horses did begin in the Empire State). American Pharoah came when I was at a bit of a crossroads in my love of horse racing. While part of me still cared for the sport, in a way I was ready to move on. He changed that perspective and now ready to move on with the rest of the year with me hopefully seeing him at least once (if he goes to the Haskell or Travers that is).
In the Derby I was all over Upstart and Carpe Diem. I had loved both of them at 2 and they had a great 3yo prep season. I didn't like Pharoah at all as I had wanted a horse from FL to do well after a somewhat meh previous TC trail. I was wrong as Pharoah barely won and both of my picks where uptrack finishers.
In the Preakness, Danzig Moon who had done extremely well in the Derby was my pick with Divining Rod a nephew to Kitten's Joy and owned by Barbaro's connections finishing second. Then the rain came and Pharoah was just licking his chops. Rod saved my day finishing third.
The Belmont was different. I wanted to pick Pharoah, but the pessimist in me knew that there where going to be fresh horses. In the end, I said screw it (sorry for the language!) and went with my heart. Keen Ice and Frosted where my picks to fill out the place and show spots because I liked their trainers and knew they had done well in the Belmont in the past. Even though I had the eventual 2nd and 3rd place finishers flipped, I was right on with Pharoah becoming the Pharaoh of the Belmont.
AP has cemented 3yo Champion Male and very likely HOY honors. It will interesting where he shows up next and wherever it is, he will attract a great crowd.
June 6, 2015
HE DOES IT!!!!
Sir Barton
Gallant Fox
Omaha
War Admiral
Whirlaway
Count Fleet
Assault
Citation
Secretariat
Seattle Slew
Affirmed
11 horses had won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont. 13 horses won the first two, but not the last. A son of a Derby runner up out of a mare who never won a race changed it all. American Pharoah became the first Triple Crown winner since 1978. I will have a full recap tomorrow once I gather my thoughts more. However it's going to be one to remember.
Gallant Fox
Omaha
War Admiral
Whirlaway
Count Fleet
Assault
Citation
Secretariat
Seattle Slew
Affirmed
11 horses had won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont. 13 horses won the first two, but not the last. A son of a Derby runner up out of a mare who never won a race changed it all. American Pharoah became the first Triple Crown winner since 1978. I will have a full recap tomorrow once I gather my thoughts more. However it's going to be one to remember.
May 16, 2015
Rain doesn't bother Pharoah
In 2009, Pioneerof the Nile exited his Derby runner-up finish full of confidence that he could upset Mine That Bird in the Preakness. However, his connections where disappointed with an uptrack finish to Rachel Alexandra. Three years later Bodemeister was once again run down by I'll Have Another in the final furlong. This year though it was different for the Zayats. Already redeemed by Pioneerof the Nile's son American Pharoah's win in the Derby, step two would be the Preakness.
4 horses (including former ownershipmate Mr. Z) would come out of the Derby to take on Pharoah. Also in the race would be a horse owned by Roy & Gretchen Jackson who where trying to put the memories of Barbaro's injury behind them and one owned by Charles Fipke whose long shots had run well in Derbies past (Divining Rod and Tale of Verve respectively). All eight horses though had to overcome a sudden downpour in rain just minutes before they broke from the gate.
American Pharoah took the lead early and it actually looked like he was going to be swallowed up by the field. Somehow, someway he pulled away from them to win by the second largest margin since Smarty Jones won the Preakness 11 years ago.
Tale of Verve (Tale of Ekati) was second and Divining Rod (Tapit) was third.
So now we head to the most difficult race of AP's career. A mile and a half stands between him and immortality. He will face a field of fresh horses plus Tale of Verve whose dam is 1/2 sisters with the dam of 2 G1 winners at Belmont AND whose broodmare sire is the same as his great-grandfather on his sire's side (Unbridled).
The Belmont hasn't been the kindest to his connections. Bob Baffert has been 1 for 4 with his Preakness winners in winning the Belmont (Point Given being his only winner), Victor Espinoza 0 for 2 with Derby and Preakness winners (the first jockey to go for a TC try 3 times), Zayats are also 0 for 2 including a heartbreaking loss to Union Rags with the horse with the most heart Paynter.
Some other thoughts:
I was wrong about Tale of Verve... should have known with his trainer.
Firing Line was no surprise
Mr. Z.... yeah
Danzig Moon... not as bad as Upstart still strike two on me
Rod's female family helped him there (turf horses sometimes love a muddy track)
4 horses (including former ownershipmate Mr. Z) would come out of the Derby to take on Pharoah. Also in the race would be a horse owned by Roy & Gretchen Jackson who where trying to put the memories of Barbaro's injury behind them and one owned by Charles Fipke whose long shots had run well in Derbies past (Divining Rod and Tale of Verve respectively). All eight horses though had to overcome a sudden downpour in rain just minutes before they broke from the gate.
American Pharoah took the lead early and it actually looked like he was going to be swallowed up by the field. Somehow, someway he pulled away from them to win by the second largest margin since Smarty Jones won the Preakness 11 years ago.
Tale of Verve (Tale of Ekati) was second and Divining Rod (Tapit) was third.
So now we head to the most difficult race of AP's career. A mile and a half stands between him and immortality. He will face a field of fresh horses plus Tale of Verve whose dam is 1/2 sisters with the dam of 2 G1 winners at Belmont AND whose broodmare sire is the same as his great-grandfather on his sire's side (Unbridled).
The Belmont hasn't been the kindest to his connections. Bob Baffert has been 1 for 4 with his Preakness winners in winning the Belmont (Point Given being his only winner), Victor Espinoza 0 for 2 with Derby and Preakness winners (the first jockey to go for a TC try 3 times), Zayats are also 0 for 2 including a heartbreaking loss to Union Rags with the horse with the most heart Paynter.
Some other thoughts:
I was wrong about Tale of Verve... should have known with his trainer.
Firing Line was no surprise
Mr. Z.... yeah
Danzig Moon... not as bad as Upstart still strike two on me
Rod's female family helped him there (turf horses sometimes love a muddy track)
May 2, 2015
The American King
Pioneerof the Nile, Nehro and Bodemeister. Those three have two things in common, they all finished in second their respective Kentucky Derbys (to Mine That Bird, Animal Kingdom and I'll Have Another respecitvely) and all where owned by Ahmed Zagat. So close... yet so far. That was until a son of the first horse mentioned showed up last year, breaking his maiden in a G1 race (Del Mar Futurity) and followed it up with a win in the Front Runner. That was more then enough to give American Pharoah the 2yo championship.
The pressure was now on as only 1 horse since 2007 who was a Champ at 2 gone on to win the Kentucky Derby the following year (Street Sense being the other). Today, "Pharoah" became the King of the Derby with his win. Firing Line (Line of David) was second and Dortmund (Big Brown) was third. It was the third win for Victor Espinoza who likely join the Hall of Fame next year with the two locks Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra and 4th for Bob Baffert.
Now we move onto the Preakness where Pharoah will likely face the undefeated Competitive Edge (Super Saver) who won for fun today in the Pat Day Mile.
Some other thoughts:
* Boy did FL stink up the place.
* Frosted ran better then I thought
* Carpe Diem was a little disappointing, but not as disappointing as Upstart (but looks like the latter has an excuse)
* Danzig Moon is going to win the Queen's Plate (hopefully)
* Mr. Z... wasn't last like I thought he might have been
Overall not really sure what to think of this year's Derby. Maybe as the week goes on and settles in I will be able to think more about it.
The pressure was now on as only 1 horse since 2007 who was a Champ at 2 gone on to win the Kentucky Derby the following year (Street Sense being the other). Today, "Pharoah" became the King of the Derby with his win. Firing Line (Line of David) was second and Dortmund (Big Brown) was third. It was the third win for Victor Espinoza who likely join the Hall of Fame next year with the two locks Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra and 4th for Bob Baffert.
Now we move onto the Preakness where Pharoah will likely face the undefeated Competitive Edge (Super Saver) who won for fun today in the Pat Day Mile.
Some other thoughts:
* Boy did FL stink up the place.
* Frosted ran better then I thought
* Carpe Diem was a little disappointing, but not as disappointing as Upstart (but looks like the latter has an excuse)
* Danzig Moon is going to win the Queen's Plate (hopefully)
* Mr. Z... wasn't last like I thought he might have been
Overall not really sure what to think of this year's Derby. Maybe as the week goes on and settles in I will be able to think more about it.
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