By Claire Snyder
American Pharoah and Jockey Victor Espinoza won the second leg of the Triple Crown on Saturday, May 16th. At this year’s 2015 Preakness many fans were cheering for the favorite, American Pharoah. Espinoza and the American thoroughbred racehorse won the 2015 Kentucky Derby and the 2015 Preakness. Held at Pimlico, Baltimore, for the past 140 years, the stadium and track filled with fans, horses, and gamblers.
American Pharoah won the Kentucky Derby with a time of 2:03.02; the Derby is usually referred to as the fastest two minutes in sports. American Pharoah went into the Preakness with the intent to win the Triple Crown: the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes. American Pharoah has now won the first two crowns of these races and is hoping to win the third at the Belmont, this Saturday, June 6. Many horses and jockeys have come close to winning the Triple Crown, but it has not been done since 1978 by Affirmed and jockey Steve Cauthen.
American Pharoah’s starting position in gate No. 1 caused much concern before the race began because the position had only ever yielded one previous winner. Pharoah proved to break this 50 year streak. This starting position is difficult for horses and jockeys because it often leaves them stuck behind the racers or pinned near the wall, Espinoza pushed Pharaoh and got him in the lead early on. During the pouring rain and on a muddy track, Pharaoh lead the competitors and won by a length of seven horses. Espinoza and Pharaoh finished with a time of 1:58.46, surprisingly one of the slowest times since 1950. The runners up were Tale of Verve and Jockey Joel Rosario, followed by Divining Rod and Jockey Javier Castellano in third.
American Pharoah’s trainer Bob Baffert will have the opportunity to try for the fourth time to sweep the Crown, and Jockey Victor Espinoza will try for the third time. Both are excited for the upcoming race in New York. Many gamblers are taking the opportunity to bet on American Pharoah to see if he will be able to win the Triple Crown at the Belmont, even though the track is a quarter-mile longer than the Derby, and five-sixteenths of a mile longer than the Preakness. Since 1978 and Affirmed, 13 contenders have had the chance to win the Triple Crown, but none were successful. By June 6th, we will see whether or not American Pharoah and Victor Espinoza will be able to win the legendary Triple Crown in New York.
