Author: GC

In 2015, American Pharoah (sic) became the first horse since Affirmed, in 1978, to win the American Triple Crown. Four months after what ESPN correspondent Richard Rosenblatt called “a dazzling display of speed and endurance” in the Belmont Stakes, which he won, readily, by 5½ lengths, American Pharoah easily won the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland. In so doing, he became the first and, so far, only horse to win the four most prominent races in American horse racing in a single season and complete what is known, informally, as the “Grand Slam”.

All in all, in a career lasting just 64 weeks, between August 2014 and October 2015, American Pharoah won nine of his 11 races – including eight Grade 1 wins – and over £5.3 million in prize money.

His two defeats came in a maiden race, over 6½ furlongs, at Del Mar on his racecourse debut in August 2014 and in the Travers Stakes, over 1 mile 2 furlongs, at Saratoga on the penultimate start of his career in August 2015. On the latter occasion, he was beaten three-quarters of a length by Keen Ice, whom he’d beaten by 2½ lengths, with jockey Victor Espinoza sitting motionless, in the Haskell Invitational Stakes at Monmouth Park on his previous start. In any event, after two months off American Pharoah set the record straight by making all to beat seven rivals, including Keen Ice, by 6½ lengths and upwards in Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland the following October.

Bred and owned by Zayat Stables, LLC and trained by Bob Baffert, American Pharoah run just three times as a juvenile. Despite missing the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile through injury, victories in the Del Mar Futurity and the Frontrunner Stakes were sufficient for American Pharoah to be named American Champion Two-Year-Old Male Horse in 2014. In 2015, he was named American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse and American Horse of the Year, by unanimous decision. In fact, he became just the just the second horse in the history of the Eclipse Awards, after John Henry in 1981, to poll every vote for Horse of the Year.

Incidentally, the incorrect spelling of his name was nothing more than a mistake by Ahmed Zayat, CEO of Zayat Stables, LLC, although Zayat originally blamed The Jockey Club before later backing down.

Frankly, there’s not much that can be written about Red Rum that hasn’t been written already. “Rummy”, as he was affectionately known, became a household name after winning the Grand National three times, in 1973, 1974 and 1977. His death, at the age of 30, in 1995 was front page news and, 11 years later, he was still the best-known horse in the country, according to a survey commissioned by Brooke animal welfare charity.

His first National, in 1973, was arguably the greatest of all time, but Red Rum became the villain of the piece after catching Crisp – who was conceding 23lb and had been 15 lengths, or further, clear jumping the final fence – in the shadow of the winning post to win by three-quarters of a length. In 1974, Red Rum was saddled with top weight of 12st, but put in probably his best ever performance at Aintree when beating L’Escargot by 7 lengths.

After back-to-back victories in the National, his progress towards equine immortality faltered, but there was no disgrace in his 15-length defeat by old rival L’Escargot in 1975, or his 2-length defeat by Rag Trade in 1976. In 1977, as a 12-year-old, Red Rum was left in the lead when favourite Andy Pandy fell at Becher’s Brook on the second circuit and gradually drew further and further clear, eventually passing the post 25 lengths ahead of Churchtown Boy, to a tumultuous reception.

In fact, Red Rum was due to run for a sixth time in the National, in 1978 but, on the eve of the race, was found to have suffered a hairline fracture of a small bone in his foot and immediately retired. Following his death, Red Rum was buried at the winning post at Aintree and his grave marked with a head chronicling his unprecedented National record. He is also commemorated by a life-size statue, sculpted in bronze by former jockey Philip Blacker, which overlooks the paddock at Aintree.