Triple Crown hero American Pharoah has made a triumphant return to the racetrack with victory in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park.
The Bob Baffert-trained colt was sent off at highly prohibitive odds on the back of his historic treble of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes – the first to achieve the feat since Affirmed in 1978.
Giving weight to each of his rivals and again ridden by Victor Espinoza, the once-beaten three-year-old broke well and took a lead from Competitive Edge before making his move with 400m.
Strolling majestically clear from there, the race was quickly over as a contest and he was eased in beating Keen Ice, taking his winning streak to eight.
“He felt the same as always, he ran like a Triple Crown winner,” Espinoza said.
“Turning for home, he was having fun in there – we were both having fun.”
American Pharoah’s Belmont win meant he was the 12th horse to land the Triple Crown, the first having been Sir Barton in 1919.
The incomparable Secretariat did it in 1973, with Seattle Slew successful in 1977.
