Arizona Wildcat Bob Baffert’s American Pharoah Wins the Triple Crown!

First Time in 37 Years a horse wins the coveted Triple Crown in Horse Racing history. The horse American Pharaoh owned by a former Arizona Wildcat Bob Baffert won by a decisive five and a half lengths.

The now historic and famous horse American Pharoah, weighing 1,178 pounds, was born February 2nd, 2012. He made history today from the No. 5 post, June 6, 2015 when he and his jockey Victor Espinosa decisively won the Belmont Stakes race.

Here’s the Order of Finish:

1. No. 5  American Pharoah
2. No. 6  Frosted – 5 1/2
3. No. 7  Keen Ice – 7 1/2
4. No. 1 Mubtaahij – 7 3/4
5. No. 4 Frammento – 16 1/2
6. No. 3 Madefromlucky – 18 3/4
7. No. 2 Tale of Verce – 21 1/2
8. No. 8 Materiality – 23 3/4

Melissa Hoppert of The New York Times explained the race for us, “American Pharoah broke from the No. 5 gate, went right to the lead and led the whole way, pulling away in the stretch for the victory. He finished the mile and a half in 2:26.65. Frosted was second, five and a half lengths back, and Keen Ice third.”

“I can’t believe it happened, and I’m just blessed with a super three-year old, American Pharoah, I couldn’t be any happier” Bob Baffert explained very emotionally after receiving the trophy for the Triple Crown. “This trophy caused me a lot of Stress!” ”

Arizona Wildcats

American Pharoah was favored 3 to 5 to win by the time the race started. Frosted skipped the Preakness, and had 5/1 odds to win at Belmont Shores. Those odds decreased as the race got closer from 5/1 to 6/1 to finally resting at 7/1 odds.  Frosted came in second at Place, and Keen Ice came in at Show (3rd) who had odds of 15/1.

To win the “Triple Crown” trophy, a trophy which hasn’t been earned for 37 years, American Pharoah had to win the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes first, and then win the final Belmont Stakes race in New York. American Pharoah made history along with his trainer Wildcat Bob Baffert, his owner Ahmed Zayat and his Jockey Victor Espinoza.

Jun 6, 2015; Elmont, NY, USA; Trainer Bob Baffert and owner Ahmed Zayat, in back, acknowledge the crowd after winning the 2015 Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Espinoza, the oldest jockey to win the Triple Crown, has won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes both three times, this was his third try to win the Belmont Stakes. On how he feels about his horse Espinoza explains, “Special, special, I come here with a lot of confidence, more confidence than any time I’ve been here, but this time I was just with so much confidence in American Pharoah.”

“The way he hit the ground, you couldn’t even feel how fast he was moving,” Espinoza told NBC. As far as why this win is so special to Espinoza he explains, “Trying to get it, but finally the third time is a charm, the 12th Triple Crown and I have 12 sisters and brothers, we are 12, so we are 12/12 and the clock is 12.” He is referring to the amount of furlongs the horse had to run in Belmont Stakes which was 12 or a mile and a half.

What did Wildcats fans have to do with this whole effort? Well, Arizona Wildcats fans were all behind Bob Baffert and his horse, they backed him on social media, they wrote articles about them, and the Sports Management School at the University of Arizona studied them. The Wildcat hand sign even made it to the TV screen (look above the announcers right shoulder.)
https://twitter.com/SwimZona/status/607314838163816448
A new hashtag was created by Daily Wildcat Sports Editor Ezra Amacher “#AHorsesProgram”, a play on our basketball teams program “A Players Program.” It took off on twitter, honestly we couldn’t resist helping its popularity along.

Another hashtag that popped up pre-race was #BearDownForBelmont coined by Zach Clark (@ZachEClark, Zack Clark Show), adopted by Arizona Athletic Director Greg Byrne who advises us that Baffert trains other horses too.

It’s been a great month for former wildcats as the UofA Admissions Dean Kasey Urquidez reminded us.

ZZ follower Corey Benjamin has a new idea for a McKale tribute to Baffert and American Pharoah.

This was fun, and watching the race and sharing the win with all of you was even more fun. Wildcats fans are such a creative and tight group of fans, it’s a pleasure writing for you all.

Bear Down Bob and American Pharoah!

Next: Incoming Cornerback Sammy Morrison was born a Wildcat!