SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- American Pharoah can run. But can he fly?
You betcha.
By now, everyone knows American Pharoah glided through the Triple Crown -- overcoming stormy weather, too -- won the Haskell Invitational this month and is the 1-5 betting favorite for the $1.6 million Travers Stakes today at Saratoga Race Course.
On his way to eight straight victories after a career-opening defeat, American Pharoah not only has run nearly 10 miles, he's racking up frequent flyer miles as fast as George Clooney in the movie "Up in the Air."
Upon arrival in Saratoga Springs, American Pharoah's air miles are above the 18,000-mile mark, with several hundreds of miles chalked up in horse van rides from tracks to airports and back again. And again and again
It wasn't until Sunday -- after a solid workout at Del Mar in California -- that Bob Baffert decided American Pharoah was in tip-top condition for another cross-country flight and a rugged race.
"He had to really show us he was still really on his game, still has his energy level, especially with what he's gone through," Baffert said Friday morning after his star colt galloped 1 1/2 miles over the main track in front of about 15,000 fans. "You have to be really careful when you are flying back and forth."
Even Baffert has a hard time keeping track of his star's travel log.
"That's a lot of mileage, and he's had tough races," Baffert began. "He went to Arkansas twice [winning the Grade 2 Rebel in March and the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby in April, both at Oaklawn Park]. And then he went to Kentucky, Maryland, back to Kentucky, New York, back to Kentucky, back to California."
A pause: "... Jersey, back to California back ... I mean ... You don't see a horse do that.
You have to be really special to do that. I think you can see a lot of it is (because) he's a very kind and gentle horse. He's got a great mind. He knows when to turn it on and when to turn it off. There's no wasted energy."
His itinerary went something like this during the week: a van ride Wednesday morning from Del Mar to the LA/Ontario airport for a horse transport flight to Lexington, Ky., and then on to the Albany, N.Y., airport, followed by a police escort van ride up I-87 to Saratoga. Distance traveled approximately 2,900 miles.
It's a good thing he flies as well as he runs.
The first horse to sweep the Kentucky Derby, Preakness (in a downpour) and Belmont Stakes in 37 years will be challenged by nine other 3-year-olds. Among them are Jim Dandy winner Texas Red at 8-1 and Belmont and Jim Dandy runner-up Frosted at 6-1.
Most everyone agrees if American Pharoah, under Victor Espinoza, runs his race -- a good start that places him on or near the lead -- he will be tough to beat. However, the Spa is not known as the "Graveyard of Favorites" for nothing.
Some of racing's biggest upsets took place at Saratoga, including losses by two Triple Crown winners -- Gallant Fox to 100-1 shot Jim Dandy in the 1930 Travers and Secretariat to Onion in the 1973 Whitney Handicap.
Sports on 08/29/2015