Lisa Unleashed: 'He Did It!' American Pharaoh Wins Triple Crown
True dyed-in-the-wool sports fans, even if they knew nothing about horses, were mesmerized last Saturday, watching the Belmont Stakes, the third jewel in Thoroughbred racing’s ultimate test — the Triple Crown. Awestruck, they watched as a well-muscled, three-year-old bay stallion with a misspelled name took a stab at sports history.
Let’s admit it, we all live vicariously through our sports heroes, whether individual athletes, whole teams, or incredible horses like American Pharoah. Everyone I knew was watching this race. Families made it a multi-generational event with parents, grandparents, and kids all gathered around the television to watch a potential historic achievement.
Originally, I planned to watch it at home, but then a tribal instinct kicked in and my husband and I opted to watch it at our favorite local haunt, My Place, to cheer on the Pharoah in community, much like church, in a crowded bar.
After urging the bartender to turn up the sound on the TV, we watched as American Pharoah jumped to the lead at the start and never looked back. Overall, it was not a nail biter of a race to the finish, it was a calculated, orchestrated run which reverberated around the world. He led the pack, set the pace, and then did what he was bred to do, as I called it in my recent column, he was to lead the herd around that final corner and gallop across Belmont’s finish line first.
The Call of the Race
There were no challengers. He lead by three-quarters of a length at the halfway mark after a rather “moderate tempo,” as race announcer Larry Collmus called it. By the top of the stretch he was two lengths ahead of his nearest rival, Frosted.
Then as he expanded his lead to five lengths, Collmus — the voice of the triple crown — declared at the 16th pole, “Here it is, the 37-year-old wait is over! American Pharaoh is finally the one! American Pharaoh has won the Triple Crooooooown!”
Then Collmus went silent. For 20 seconds all you heard was this loud scream of humanity in sheer ecstasy. Then you saw jockey Victor Espinoza, pumping his fist in the air triumphantly, then you saw the sea of sports fans standing, jumping, dancing in the stands. Then the emotion of it all hits you.
I started to cry. I love moments like this, it is what us sports fans thrive on. This raw emotion is what drives us to love one team over another, to hunt for one record-breaking moment to the next. It’s what sustains us to come back again between the long periods of losses.
“He Did It! He has ended the 37-year-old draught to a deafening roar from the fans here at Belmont Park,” Collmus reminded viewers to bring us back to earth.
And it wasn’t just Belmont Park that roared. Large sporting venues across the country, like Yankee Stadium, provided thousands of fans with the opportunity to see the race on all its Jumbo-trons before the game started. Bee Sports Editor Andy Hutchison was there to witness it and contribute to the massive roar which filled that storied stadium with a genuine gratitude for American Pharoah’s greatness.
At this point, everyone at My Place was yelling, clapping, jumping, and Ray and I jumped out of our seats for a big hug. Then I cried some more. Then I started texting my girlfriends and family all over the country, and they were all crying too! It took us a while to settle down after the victory, and just like his Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, we were all humbled by the presence of the great horse.
Stats
And for those sports fans who loves statistics, here they are: American Pharoah, born on February 2, 2012, owned by Zayat Stables, is just the 12th Triple Crown Winner. The first in 37 years. Last time it happened Jimmy Carter was President.
His lead at the finish line was the third largest margin to win at 5½ lengths after Citation at 25 lengths and Secretariat (his great-great-great-grandfather) at 31 lengths, the record-holder.
His race time of 2:26 was the sixth fastest after Secretariat’s 2:24.
American Pharoah beat 31 rivals on the way to the Triple Crown and was the only horse to have raced in all three legs of the challenge. Only War Admiral beat more rivals at 32 in 1937, during the golden age of American racing.
This win proves that experience counts. Espinoza was the oldest jockey ever to win at 43 years old, followed by the second oldest trainer, Baffart at 62 years old.
So move over Sir Barton, Gallant Fox, Omaha, War Admiral, Whirlaway, Count Fleet, Assault, Citation, Secretariat, Seattle Slew, and Affirmed to make room for American Pharaoh in the annals of sports history.
Lisa Peterson, lifelong horse lover, equestrian and owner/breeder/handler of Norwegian Elkhounds, has worn many hats as journalist, columnist, blogger and podcast host. She lives in Newtown with her husband and three dogs.
Contact Lisa via lisa@lisaunleashed.com or at her blog www.lisaunleashed.com.