American Pharoah, seen here cruising to victory at the Belmont, goes out a winner at the Breeders’ Cup. Photograph by Mike Lizzi.
Maybe now all the naysayers will zip their lips.
Or maybe they will unseal them long enough to say, “All hail, the Pharoah” as he gallops off to retirement, to stud, to immortality.
American Pharoah did it in Hollywood-scripted style – entering and winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic, the first Triple Crown winner to do so, at Keeneland in Lexington on Halloween, a treat for racing fans. But then, AP has been a treat for all those lovers of history who had a Triple Crown winner on their bucket list and thought they would never live to see the day.
The day came – courtesy of AP. He did it every which way. Coming from behind in the Kentucky Derby. In the slop at the Preakness. By 5 ½ lengths at the Belmont. Add another length at the Breeders’ Cup as he took on members of his own class (Frosted, Keen Ice) and older guys (Tonalist, Honor Code) alike. Forget Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic: American Pharoah accomplished racing’s Grand Slam.
He came in second at the Travers – a disappointment to us and particularly owner Ahmed Zayat and trainer Bob Baffert, who think of him as a son. Whirlaway remains the only Triple Crown winner to win the Travers, beloved Whirly, so no shame in losing. But though that may have been a disappointment, Pharoah never was. He did what the greats do. He shook it off. He went on.
Does a horse know that he’s going deep inside himself to find what he’s made of? Perhaps we’ll know some day when all the questions are answered. For now, he strides off the stage a winner. I can’t imagine he’ll miss the crowds. A people horse and a great charmer, the Pharoah – a gentle soul – nonetheless wore earplugs when he ran. Goodbye to that.
But if he won’t miss us watching him run, we’ll miss him running. Does a horse know what it means to be symbol? Will he ever know what he meant to us in the spring of 2015?
Doesn’t matter. We will.
Thank you, American Pharoah. We love you. And fare well.