The crowd at the Garden Room on the third floor of Monmouth Park’s clubhouse was standing-room only on Thursday afternoon. No, it wasn’t because rumors of the Jersey Shore track’s famous crab cakes had spread. The huge crowd was gathered to watch American Pharoah officially enter a race for the first time since his historic triumph in the Belmont Stakes on June 6.
American Pharoah, the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years, will break from post No. 4 in an expected field of eight for Sunday’s $1.75 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J. Post time is set for 5:52 p.m., and the race will be broadcast nationally on NBC.
When American Pharoah, who was made the overwhelming favorite at odds of 1-5 on the morning line, breaks from the gate, it will mark the first time a Triple Crown winner has raced since Affirmed won the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park on Oct. 6, 1979.
For Zayat Stables racing manager Justin Zayat, the Haskell was a strong option even before their horse embarked on his historic Triple Crown trail.
“It’s a special race to us,” Zayat said. “I was born and raised in New Jersey. The Zayat family is from New Jersey, so we have to give back to our state. Monmouth has done a superb job of welcoming us. [The Haskell] was just in the back of our mind the whole time.”
After American Pharoah’s 5 ¹/₂-length win in the Belmont Stakes, there was doubt as to whether or not the colt would ever race again. His valuable breeding rights were sold to Coolmore between the Preakness and Belmont, meaning Justin and his father, Ahmed Zayat, would call the shots with the Triple Crown winner until the end of this year, then American Pharoah would be retired to stud.
Only one of the previous 11 Triple Crown winners, Count Fleet in 1943, was retired after completing the feat. Of the other 10, seven have won in their return. Seattle Slew had the worst result when he finished fourth in the Swaps Stakes just 21 days after winning the Belmont.
The last Triple Crown winner, Affirmed in 1978, returned to the races 59 days after the Belmont to win the Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. He continued racing during the 1979 season.
American Pharoah’s return in the Haskell will be 57 days after his Belmont win, and trainer Bob Baffert says the champion is showing him he’s still worthy of that title.
“He’s holding his form really well, and that was the key,” Baffert said. “He had to show me something like that before I would put him on the plane and ship him to Jersey. He really is doing very well, so we’re confident that he’ll run his race.”
As long as American Pharoah runs his race, there shouldn’t be any doubt he’ll become the 11th Triple Crown winner to return to the races with a win.
Of the seven other Haskell entrants, only one, Competitive Edge, has recorded a win in a Grade 1 race — and he could defect from the Haskell in favor of the Jim Dandy Stakes on Saturday at Saratoga. The rest of the projected field has combined for a total of five graded stakes wins compared to American Pharoah’s seven.
“[Pharoah has] been training very well,” Baffert said. “Everything that he’s shown me in the morning has been very positive. We feel very positive about this race.”
History and a towering advantage over an underwhelming field certainly give Baffert and the Zayats plenty of reason to be positive for Sunday.