Hall of Famer Bob Baffert was more than pleased with Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile)'s six-furlong bullet in 1:11 flat at Del Mar Thursday.
“I think he's getting faster,” Baffert said. “He gives me goosebumps.”
With jockey Martin Garcia in the irons, the bay was clocked in splits of :12.40, :24, :36.20 and :58.80 with a seven-furlong gallop out in 1:24 and a mile in 1:38.40. The work, which comes just five days after the colt completed the same distance in 1:11.40, was originally announced to be a five-furlong work from the 5/8-pole to the wire, but American Pharoah was still going strong enough that Del Mar's clockers gave an official six-furlong time.
“I'm going with a five-day schedule with him now,” Baffert commented. “I've done that with other horses before. First time with a Triple Crown winner, though.”
The Zayat Stables homebred is scheduled to make his first start since his historic Triple Crown sweep in Monmouth Park's GI Haskell Invitational S. Aug. 2, a race his trainer has won a record seven times.
“We'll work him a half before we leave, an easy half next Tuesday” Baffert remarked. “He needed to get back to the track. That last one, he came out of it blowing a bit. Not today, though. He looked like he did it easy.”
Baffert added, “He's right on course [for the Haskell]. No excuses. He'll be ready to go there.”
American Pharoah is scheduled to arrive in New Jersey Wednesday, July 29. His plane will land at Atlantic City International Airpoty at 1:30 p.m. and he will get a police escort to Monmouth Park. The bay will be stabled in Kelly Breen's barn.
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