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SPORTSMonday 2 November 2015
American Pharoah leaves his multitude of fans for stud life
BETH HARRIS “This horse is so special,
that’s why I shared him with
AP Racing Writer everybody,” Baffert said.
“He loves people. That’s
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Bob why he has such a great
following.”
Baffert began his final full Now comes the hard part.
Baffert, owner Ahmed Za-
day as American Pharo- yat and their families will
bid farewell to American
ah’s trainer by walking the Pharoah on Monday when
he heads to Ashford Stud in
Triple Crown and Breed- nearby Versailles to begin
his new breeding career.
ers’ Cup Classic winner into “I don’t feel like I’m leaving
him. We’ll come visit him
the middle of an adoring a lot,” said Baffert, who is
based in Southern Califor-
crowd outside his Keenel- nia. “It’s going to be tough-
er when I go home and I
and barn. see that empty stall.”
Before departing the
More than 200 people, barn, the Zayat family ex-
changed hugs with Baffert,
many clutching cameras, who drew laughs when he
instructed his client, “Find
pressed close to the thor-
oughbred, who stayed re-
markably calm as always
despite the tumult. Hands
reached out to pet the
champ. Some people cried
while others presented him
with his favorite snack of
peeled baby carrots.
American Pharoah
seemed to be enjoying his Victor Espinoza smiles after he and American Pharoah won the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keenel-
and Racecourse on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2015 in Lexington, KY.
first full day of retirement
Associated Press
Sunday.
me another one.” for him to have a nice life,”
American Pharoah took jockey Victor Espinoza said.
his handlers and a belea- Zayat is pondering a way
guered sport on an ex- to celebrate his horse’s
hilarating ride, becoming achievements and solic-
the first horse to sweep the ited fans at the barn for
Kentucky Derby, Preakness ideas. “A Triple Crown
and Belmont in 37 years winner should go out in a
before ending his career way that is appropriate of
with a 6 1/2-length victory how he was embraced by
in the Classic on Saturday. the fans and the sport,”
At Ashford Stud, American he said. “The question is
Pharoah will live a pam- how?” While Zayat consid-
pered life while he goes ers party plans, Baffert is
about producing future looking toward next year
progeny that could be and horses in his barn that
on the racetrack in a few could succeed on the
years. Triple Crown trail. One of
“I wish I could have kept them is Mor Spirit, who won
him another year to race, it for the first time last week
would have been the icing at Santa Anita.
on the cake,” Zayat said. “It’s spelled wrong, so
“But the reality of the busi- maybe that’s a clue,” Baf-
ness does not allow us to fert said, noting American
do that.” The costs of insur- Pharoah’s name was mis-
ing a Triple Crown cham- spelled, too.
pion are prohibitive, which “As a trainer, you have to
led Zayat to sell Pharoah’s put Pharoah in the rear-
breeding rights to Cool- view mirror and keep go-
more-owned Ashford Stud ing on, but they all have a
before he won the Belmont special place in our hearts.
in early June. These really good horses
“He’s been running so leave a piece of them with
many times and it’s time me,” he said.q
