Pharoah to Stay Out West

[TGJB]

This one has faced real competition, ran real figures, and hasn\'t been winning photos against softies.

[P-Dub]

TGJB Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This one has faced real competition, ran real
> figures, and hasn\'t been winning photos against
> softies.


You\'re testing me.

[SteveB]

I ordered 4 seats for Pacific Classic day on Saturday night after the Belmont with the thought that it might be a possibility. Even sent an email encouraging Del Mar to shoot for getting American Pharoah to run in the Pacific Classic. Up to now I had only heard he might go in the Haskell and/or the Travers.

California could have American Pharoah, California Chrome, Firing Line, Shared Belief, Dortmund and Bayern here at that time. It would be a great race and they got rid of poly and will be back running on dirt this year.

[Tavasco]

I have not forgotten Texas Red could get another good price if he doesn\'t prep too too much.

[Tavasco]

may end up a brilliant dumb ass idea if ones considering breeding year round internationally.

[Silver Charm]

He will taking on older horses out there unless they create some sort of Made for Pharoah 3YO race. The older horses out there are tin cans and anybody who saw the competition in the Met and even the Brooklyn probably saw enough to say \"theres no place like home.\"

Interesting if it is Del Mar its a brand new dirt surface. Last year was the rug. Baffert once got $25,000 to just put his feet on the ground at Monmouth Park and bring his horse with him. Is someone trying to start a bidding war?

Seriously with Mike Tabor, John Magnier, and Zayat involved, at this point whatever Victor says or thinks less than 48 hours after the finish is just pure talk. Or in this case a Tweet.....

[Dana666]

Jerry-You and I are old enough to have seen this, but my point is we (who are about the same age) most likely will never see this kind of greatness ever again, though I hope we both live long enough to prove me wrong!

You\'re downplaying the significance of AP\'s accomplishments just a tad. I\'m not sure you want to compare the two you mentioned to AP either.

Only 7 horses in thoroughbred history, AP being the 7th, have won the triple crown after being crowned 2 year old champions. That\'s 7 out of the millions and millions of foals born every year since the 1800s.

As great as the totality of Rachel\'s career (she raced 19 times, I daresay AP will never get even close to 19 career starts), her claim to fame as a 2 year old was beating 5 female rivals in the Golden Rod Stakes (G-2)! You were one of the few people on planet earth who recognized the tremendous racehorse she would become! But as a 2 year old, it was all potential.

Smarty never ran as a 2 year old and sadly was completely crippled by the time the Belmont came about. Rachel ran in and won 1 leg of the triple crown, though one might argue convincingly she would have won the derby had she been given the chance. It\'s safe to say she would have beaten 50K claiming sort Mine that Bird as she did in the Preakness. But you honestly cannot compare either to AP at the same time in their careers.

I know AP is no friend to gamblers, namely no one is making a big score on odds-on runners, so the emotional attachment perhaps is lacking, I\'d be the first to admit that if I\'m being completely honest, but using whatever words we like, we are not going to capture the enormity of the greatness of this horse. When you run the last quarter of the Belmont Stakes faster than Secretariat, yeah, that\'s saying something.

[johnnym]

\"Smarty never ran as a 2 year old\"

Smarty ran twice as a 2 year old

[TGJB]

1-- Smarty did run as a 2yo.

2-- I\'m talking ability, not accomplishment. That discussion has taken place here before (Zenyatta and other horses with good records).

3-- Not that raw time, final fractions or pace are my thing, but Secretariat ran his first 6f a tad faster, leaving him a little less in the tank late.

[Dana666]

You are correct. I should not attempt research in a bouncing vehicle with my old eyes. 2-2 as a two year old. But again he didn\'t win the triple crown  which my point. It is near impossible to maintain that level of brilliance through your 3 year old campaign ending for now in a mole and a half race!

[TGJB]

Gotta love auto correct. That last half a mole is a killer.i

[Dana666]

I should NOT type in the car.

My point is just that I\'m saying carrying 2 year old brilliant speed all the way through to your three year old season ending with a WIN in a mile and a half race is the rare quality I meant to point out. That\'s what we\'re not likely to see again. Brilliant speed horses don\'t generally win the Belmont. It\'s amazing to me that he carried that speed as far as he did.

Rereading my post, I was also a little hard on Mine That Bird. Worse horses have probably won triple crown races, too .

[Tavasco]

Speaking of which, I suppose you saw Jake gave some horse named American Pharaoh a 4-. The devil is in the details.

[Dana666]

Interesting!  Great point.

[meatloaf]

Sad that AP will never face Shared Belief.  I would have loved to see that race.