One fantastic, one flawless. American Pharoah and Golden Horn dazzled on both sides of the Atlantic on Saturday to set up what already looks to be a vintage global season.
American Pharoah's imperious performance in the Belmont Stakes brought to an end a 37-year hiatus for American racing fans and secured the Triple Crown under Victor Espinoza.
At Epsom, Golden Horn racked up his fourth win in as many starts when streaking away with Frankie Dettori in the Derby.
Both colts showed a blend of stamina and speed that provided a sucker punch that completely overwhelmed their rivals.
American Pharoah, trained by Bob Baffert, has demonstrated that he is head and shoulders above his three-year-old generation.
Only comparisons with the 11 other Triple Crown winners and possible clashes with older rivals need remain.
American Pharoah highlighted in New York that after three championship races in five weeks he has an iron constitution, a raking stride that produces searing pace that can be sustained, and a famously shorn tail that most horses in North America are only likely to see for the duration of his career.
American Pharoah’s time of two minutes, 26.65 seconds was in the same parish as some of the fastest in the 147-year history of the Belmont Stakes.
No racehorse has yet matched the machine that was Secretariat, who in 1973 motored to a record time over the 2,400 metres distance at Belmont in an astonishing 2:24.0.
But American Pharoah eclipsed the time of 2:26.80 recorded in 1978 by Affirmed, the previous horse to secure the Triple Crown, and was only just shy of Baffert’s Point Given in 2001.
It was a similar case at Epsom. It may have taken Dettori a moment or two to get Golden Horn going in the straight, but his defeat of Godolphin’s Jack Hobbs was achieved in a time faster than any other since Workforce set the record in 2010.
Before the running of the Triple Crown third leg, Baffert had stated that whatever happened at Belmont Park, it was American Pharoah’s next race that could well define him.
He pointed out that Secretariat’s subsequent defeat to Onion in the Whitney Handicap had, for him, dented the aura of the horse who is generally regarded as the greatest.
Yesterday, American Pharoah was set to return to Churchill Downs, his base since the Kentucky Derby.
Where he heads next will be under intense scrutiny.
Irish breeding organisation Coolmore have purchased the breeding rights of American Pharoah in a deal that is thought to be in excess of US$20 million (Dh73.5m).
They could well steer Baffert’s decision-making. The trainer has won the $1 million Haskell Invitational, an 1,800m race at Monmouth Park on August 2, seven times.
The Travers Stakes on August 29 at Saratoga Racecourse could also be an option.
Both races are restricted to three year olds, so the possibility of taking on his elders next time ahead of a bid at the Breeders’ Cup Classic in November may well be on the agenda.
What Coolmore can look forward to when American Pharoah retires is an income that could easily be worth $100,000 every time the son of Pioneerof The Nile covers a mare.
Pioneerof The Nile stands at a stud fee of $60,000 at Winstar Farm in Kentucky, but that is surely to rise by the end of the year.
You have got to hand it to Coolmore, it was a nice piece of business.
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