[QUOTE=JenEM;8382419]
That was a beautiful run from start to finish. What a horse.[/QUOTE]
Close to my same words as I was jumping up and down in the living room. So happy for all of AP’s team and also feel their sadness that he is done with racing.
I’m glad they finished out the year with him, but also had a sigh of relief at the finish line - he’s way too spectacular to risk running when he could be making babies.
I screamed, I cried. Thank you, Pharoah. Thank you for everything. We will miss watching you run, but you have earned a long and happy retirement, and I’m thanking every god I can think of that you got there safe.
Please someone post a video link of the race!!
Here’s the finish while we get you the entire thing: http://www.si.com/horse-racing/video/2015/10/31/american-pharoah-wins-grand-slam-breeders-cup
NBCSports online has it but traffic is heavy so difficult to access it.
I sobbed! It was like the Belmont all over again. Gah, what a beautiful ending. Just everything about it–awesome. His ears were pricked and he was just having a great time and letting us enjoy the ride alongside him.
Meanwhile, who else found themselves wanting that appy draft cross track pony? I call first dibs! 
[QUOTE=Drvmb1ggl3;8382455]
In fairness, the track is new, and there have been very few races at 10f over the track.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, 2:05 is a crawling “track record” time, though 2:00 flat sure isn’t. 
And also in fairness, the Bloodhorse says this:
Giving the fans everything they wanted to see, American Pharoah set fractions of :23.99, :47.40, and 1:11.21 through six furlongs, then drew away to a 6 1/2-length win—tying with Volponi (2002) for largest Classic margin of victory. Zayat Stables’ homebred son of Pioneerof the Nile brought down the curtain on a legendary career when smoking 1 1/4 miles in 2:00.07, the fastest race run at the distance in Keeneland history on any surface.
So, tied for the largest margin, and faster than any other 1 1/4 mile race ever run at Keeneland, surface regardless. (I just realized, that means faster than any turf event as well. Wow.)
Wow. Certainly validates AP’S greatness. I have never been on board with this horse but I should have been. I will follow his stud career with much interest. His mare sire is a son of FLYING PASTER and I am a fan having owned a couple of nice mares through VYING VICTOR.
(Banging head against wall now.)
Loved the ears.
Loved the happy ending.
Agree - almost immediately thought - “wouldn’t he have been something as a 4yo”.
But best to have the happy ending.
What a horse.
(And I had the exacta! Effinex was my backup - when he’s good, he’s super, and Jimmy Jerkens put larger blinkers on him, plus Mike Smith? :yes: Just kicking myself I only spent $2. :sigh:)
Oh, and one more thing - am really miffed at all the 2nd guessers and prognosticators - when AP only just barely lost The Travers. Was there at the turn, and Frosted had leaned on him the whole race. Did Secretariat, Affirmed, and Seattle Slew have a perfect career afterwards? NO!
Lucky to all of you able to witness this in person. And to the rest of us to have been able to watch from afar.
American Pharoah certainly made this a great year for horse racing.
There is a replay here http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/95650/american-pharoah-romps-in-bc-classic
[QUOTE=Guin;8382525]
Please someone post a video link of the race!![/QUOTE]
Here’s a High Def replay on Youtube… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weKIGbOKHyE
Amazing race, and amazing horse! I watched it later as we were busy during the actual race and my recording cut off just following it, and missed the post-race interviews and ceremony- does anyone have links to the videos of those?? Would love to see their reactions and the ceremony.
I waffled on trying to go this year. I wound up holding off too long and it just wasn’t feasible. I honestly think not going might be one of my biggest regrets. Just spectacular. Absolutely phenomenal.
This race ended just like the Belmont in my house. Both DD and I were in tears, I’m crying because he won, she’s crying because Frosted lost. Poor DH, pretty sure he thinks I’ve officially lost it. :lol:
How about EFFINEX? Nice race for colt named by his owner to acknowledge his feelings about an ex-wife. Crafty thinking to get around the Jockey Club sensors. LOL.
What a great race! The phenoms make it look easy, like a public workout, but that’s why they are the great ones. Pharoah did what Affirmed, Seattle Slew, and Secretariat couldn’t - beat older horses on dirt as a three-year-old. And he did it emphatically.
I love Beholder but she wouldn’t have touched him either. I hope she comes back and runs away with the Classic next year!
I do wish Rachel’s Valentina had won, but she ran a good second. I hope she gets a second crack at Songbird next year!
I too was rooting for Rachel’s Valentina, but there was no mistaking that Songbird was in a totally different class than the other fillies. She reminded me more of a colt, than a filly. Very mature looking.
Hope they both come back next year in good shape.
[QUOTE=mommy peanut;8382746]
I too was rooting for Rachel’s Valentina, but there was no mistaking that Songbird was in a totally different class than the other fillies. She reminded me more of a colt, than a filly. Very mature looking.
Hope they both come back next year in good shape.[/QUOTE]
Songbird also won the Juvenile Fillies in a time that was a full second faster than the colt who won the Juvenile. I really hope she takes on the boys next year.
[QUOTE=Shammy Davis;8381688]
With all due respect, without the “also ran and aging horses” there would be no BC or for that matter horse racing.
STOPCHARGINMARIA had a history of also ran. Now she has hit her stride.[/QUOTE]
A championship day should have races filled with champion caliber horses. I think they’ve diluted it by adding so many races that don’t have top class fields. But I can give the grass races a pass since outside the US there are a lot more top caliber grass horses, so a turf sprint and the juvenile turf races are ok, though usually not very interesting.
The Distaff is the premiere race for fillies and mares, anyone who wins that has faced top class horses and is a deserving champion.
The Dirt Mile is a race for horses ducking the tougher competition in the Sprint and Classic. They should drop it.
I had the extraordinary privilege of being there today. Here’s the video I took of the race (no post parade or post-race festivities, sorry): https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=36zgpLbROwI
Looks like you had a great time!
i think Pharoah also became the first two-year-old champion to go on to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Street Sense broke the BC Juvenile and Derby curse, and no one has yet won the Juvenile and then come back to win the Classsic.
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