American Pharoah's defeat could lead to horse racing's biggest loss
If anyone thought American Pharoah's defeat in the Travers was shocking, and given Saratoga's history no one should have been astonished, the news after the race had to instill brain freeze.
Keen Ice defeated the Triple Crown champ on Saturday after American Pharoah had been tested all the way around the storied track by Frosted. Finishing second by three-quarters of a length to a 16-1 shot that made one run should not create doubt among his ownership or backers.
However, not long after the race, tweets were published that created doubt if the champ would race again.
And that would be a devastating loss to a sport that has craved a hero and from ownership that has accepted every challenge to date and done right by not only American Pharoah but also to the great history of horse racing.
Saratoga wasn't just given its name of the Graveyard of Champions. The track earned it and continues to add headstones, no matter the sex of the horse or the length of the race or the surface it is run over.
"If he's not the American Pharoah I know, then there's no question in my mind that the right thing is to retire him," Ahmed Zayat said to the media after the second-place finish at 1-5 odds. "I'm very proud of American Pharoah. I'm disappointed for the fans. I'm heartbroken."
Heartbroken is understandable. However, ready to throw in the horseshoe isn't if American Pharoah comes out of the Travers healthy and ready for revenge.
In 1973, a Triple Crown champion named Secretariat came to Saratoga. His victory in the Belmont -- 31 lengths for those who need a reminder -- made him invincible if there were ever a horse that deserved that moniker. However, Onion brought tears to the eyes of Big Red's faithful by upsetting the legend.
That didn't lead Secretariat's connections to take him off the track, and he had been syndicated for more than $6 million, an outrageous price at that time.
Granted, the landscape on and off the track was different than it is now. However, the risk was great. All Secretariat did was continue, running four more times and posting three victories.
The Saratoga loss did not diminish his legend then or now. In fact, it is mentioned annually during the meet almost as a badge of honor for the Spa, which has taken down many a champion. Man o' War suffered his only defeat when he was beaten by the Upset in 1919; Triple Crown winner Gallant Fox was stunned by Jim Dandy, who went off at 100-1, in the 1930 Travers.
It happens.
"I could tell we were in trouble by the half-mile pole," trainer Bob Baffert said.
There were rumblings the Hall of Fame trainer's instinct could have told him that before American Pharoah boarded a plane to Saratoga. While Zayat wanted to take on the challenge of the Travers, there was a great belief Baffert did not want to test the gods of racing at the Spa.
"That's a lot of mileage, and he's had tough races," Baffert said. "He went to Arkansas twice. And then he went to Kentucky, Maryland, back to Kentucky, New York, back to Kentucky, back to California ... Jersey, back to California ... You don't see a horse do that. You have to be really special to do that."
If American Pharoah -- who clearly was believed to be "really special" before the Travers -- comes out of the race 100 percent sound, horse racing -- and sports overall -- can only hope the bitter taste of defeat turns into a thirst for revenge and keeps him in training and pointed toward the Breeders' Cup Classic on Oct. 31 at Keeneland in Kentucky.
The great 3-year-old would have a chance to chase the ghosts of Saratoga on Halloween by turning the trick of winning the Classic. And that would be a treat for horse racing fans.
"I don't know, I wanted to see how taxing this race was on him," Baffert said. "This is something we have to sit and figure out. I'm not really used to being in the position with him, so it's sort of hard to digest right now."
