79TH ARKANSAS DERBY

Flying Pharoah

8-length victory dusts field, paves path to Derby

Victor Espinoza and American Pharoah left little doubt in Saturday’s $1 million Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs. The 3-year-old colt pulled away down the stretch for an 8-length victory, which might have solidified his standing as the favorite for next month’s Kentucky Derby.
Victor Espinoza and American Pharoah left little doubt in Saturday’s $1 million Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs. The 3-year-old colt pulled away down the stretch for an 8-length victory, which might have solidified his standing as the favorite for next month’s Kentucky Derby.

HOT SPRINGS -- This pursuit has three weeks to go, and American Pharoah is headed in the right direction.

A career that began with a fifth-place finish last August hit another high note on Saturday at Oaklawn Park, an 8-length romp in the Grade I $1 million Arkansas Derby.

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Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Fans fill the outdoor area as horses move past during the post parade of the second race Saturday at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs.

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Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Jockey Victor Espinoza guides American Pharoah (right) around the first turn on the way to winning the $1 million Arkansas Derby on Saturday at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs. American Pharoah was in second behind Bridget’s Big Luvy and took the lead in the stretch, running away for an 8-length victory. Far Right was second, followed by Mr. Z.

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Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Bridget’s Big Luvy (right), with jockey Angel Cruz aboard, leads the field out of the gate and down the first straightway. Jockey Victor Espinoza kept American Pharoah (left) close in second place until the far turn, when he asked the 1-9 favorite for more speed, taking the lead and going on to win the race. Bridget’s Big Luvy, first after the six furlongs, faded to last in the stretch.

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Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Jockey Victor Espinoza celebrates aboard Amer ican Pharoah after winning the 79th Arkansas Derby on Saturday.

The victory, accomplished at 1 1/8th miles, came in 1:48.52, the fastest running of the Arkansas Derby since 2003, and it added even more legitimacy to his status as the possible Kentucky Derby favorite.

Oaklawn season by the numbers

2 Times jockey Ramon Vazquez won five races on a card

3 Consecutive riding titles for jockey Ricardo Santana Jr.

4 Trainers whose horses earned more than $1 million in purse money

67,500 Saturday’s estimated attendance

$1.13 earnings in millions by leading trainer Chris Hartman’s horses in 129 starts

$1.16 earnings in millions by Southern California-based trainer Bob Baffert’s horses in 4 starts

Trainer Bob Baffert said American Pharoah, who has won 4 of 5 career starts, would ship directly from Oaklawn to Churchill Downs for the May 2 Kentucky Derby.

"He's an amazing horse," Baffert said of American Pharoah, a son of 2009 Kentucky Derby runnerup Pioneerof the Nile. "He's been special from the start. Victor road him really well. He's just a really intelligent, gifted horse, and I'm so excited about the results."

Far Right, ridden by Mike Smith, closed from far off the pace to finish second. Mr. Z was third. Both Far Right and Mr. Z earned enough points to qualify for the May 2 Kentucky Derby, if their connections decide to follow through. Madefromlucky earned 10 points with his fourth-place finish and is 21st in the standings.

American Pharoah, sent of at 1-9 odds, paid $2.20, $2.20, $2.10. Far Right, the 7-1 second choice of the crowd of 67,500 and bettors around the world, paid $2.80, $2.40. Mr. Z, at 20-1, paid $3.80.

American Pharoah treaded a slightly different path than in the past on Saturday.

His two Grade I victories in 2014, which earned him the Eclipse Award for 2-year-old males, came from the front, as did his 6 1/4-length draw-away victory in the Grade II Rebel Stakes over 1 1/16th miles at Oaklawn on March 14. He had led every call since the first in his second race, a 4 3/4-length victory in the Grade I Del Mar Futurity, but he rated to start the Arkansas Derby.

"We thought he could rate," Baffert said. "We've worked him behind horses and he's done OK. He's never going to just run off or anything like that. He's just matured substantially and he just understands things. I was pretty confident."

American Pharoah, breaking from the 6 post, followed 38-1 Bridget's Big Luvy by as many as 4 lengths through fractions of 22.77 seconds, 45.99, and 1:10:54. But American Pharoah sprinted past midway through the far turn. By time the field straightened out, American Pharoah led the field by 5 1/2 lengths and Bridget's Big Luvy was done, finishing last in the field of eight.

The Truth or Else showed momentum as the field neared the stretch and pulled within 4 lengths of the lead but finished fifth and didn't receive any Road to the Derby points. He entered the race with 11.

American Pharoah owner Ahmed Zayat watched the race on a laptop computer with his family while on vacation in Cancun, Mexico.

"I knew Day 1 that he was a runner," Zayat said by telephone. "Today he showed a different dimension."

Far Right trainer Ron Moquett said earlier in the week that he thought his colt might be better at the Kentucky Derby distance of 1 1/4 miles than at 1 1/8, and he sounded more convinced after Far Right picked up 1 1/2 lengths on American Pharoah in the stretch.

"I know that American Pharoah is a very impressive horse," Moquett said. "I also know that we're going to the Derby with a healthy, quality horse who will have a chance."

As is custom, trainers with horses entered in the Arkansas Derby were with their horses in Oaklawn's barns at daybreak Saturday.

D. Wayne Lukas stood 10 feet from eventual third-place finisher Mr. Z at 7 a.m., a little more than 11 hours before Arkansas Derby post time. The sky near dawn was faded blue and the air dry, but at 45 degrees nearly everyone around the Royal Glint barn wore jackets, including the three workers in Mr. Z's stall.

It was clear to Lukas what he needed from Mr. Z.

"We're out to do the best we can and pick up some points," Lukas said. "There's nothing else to do."

Mr. Z went into the final day of races on the Kentucky Derby prep schedule with 14 points. The Arkansas Derby offers 100 points for first and 40, 20, and 10 for second through fourth, respectively. Mr. Z needed to finish at least fourth to qualify for the Kentucky Derby, and Lukas said that was all he had in mind. The mission was accomplished.

Several racing experts at Oaklawn wondered aloud Thursday if Zayat, who also owns Mr. Z, might have wanted Mr. Z to set the pace in the Arkansas Derby to give American Pharoah a scenario similar to one he might face in the Kentucky Derby.

Lukas scoffed at the thought.

"We're not interested in setting any pace," Lukas said. "Whoever goes with American Pharoah, in my opinion, won't be around at the end. We're in the race because we'd like to pick up some points. If we pick up 20 points, we're in the Derby, and I think the owner would like Mr. Z to be in the Derby like every owner in America."

Lukas said he hoped to qualify Mr. Z at the Louisiana Derby on March 28, but he finished last in a field of nine and Lukas brought him back to Oaklawn. He said he wasn't worried about overworking Mr. Z.

"I did the same thing with Grindstone," Lukas said.

Grindstone won the Louisiana Derby, finished second in the Arkansas Derby and then won the Kentucky Derby in 1996.

Zayat said he would let Lukas decide whether to race Mr. Z in the Kentucky Derby.

"If Lukas wants to run, we'll run," he said.

Kenny McPeek, trainer of The Truth or Else, watched as workers around his stable in the Track Robbery barn finished closing his operation for the season. The Truth of Else appeared relaxed in his nearby stall.

"We pretty much have all our ducks in a row," McPeek said. "We have horses at Churchill already and in New York. They've been gradually moving out, about eight at a time, and then these horses will move out Monday. All details are pretty much done."

But one big race remained.

"Sure, it's a big race and it's important to a lot of people, and you got the big crowd and everything, but for us it's just standard procedure," said McPeek, who has trained horses to victories in dozens of significant stakes, including the Belmont, the Blue Grass, the Travers and the Florida and Louisiana derbies. "You get the horse ready, make sure they're doing everything right, and then you just leave it up to a higher power and Calvin Borel."

Baffert left it up to Espinoza and American Pharoah, and they were more than enough.

"I have had a lot of great horses, but I think he was the most exceptional 2-year-old," Baffert said. "What he showed me in the Del Mar Futurity, I was really impressed by that effort. After that I talked to Victor, I said, 'I don't think I've ever had one run in the Del Mar Futurity like that,' and Victor said, 'No, you haven't.'

"He's one of those horses. He's good, and he keeps getting better."

Sports on 04/12/2015

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