A few days of indecision are over and Triple Crown winner American Pharoah is back on schedule for the $US5 million ($A7.11 million) Breeders’ Cup Classic and a chance for a magical career-ending race.
After a tough loss in the Travers Stakes at Saratoga last Saturday, American Pharoah’s owner Ahmed Zayat said his “gut feeling” was to retire rather than race on as planned.
On Thursday, following hours of talks with trainer Bob Baffert and the rest of Team Pharoah, the owner decided against retirement.
“I am very confident that this is the right decision for American Pharoah,” Zayat said in a statement.
“He loves to race. He has provided my family, racing fans, and general sports fans with great thrills this year.
“He won the Triple Crown earlier this year, and he deserves the chance to be in the sport’s premier year-end event.”
Since the loss to Keen Ice in the Travers, American Pharoah was returned to Baffert’s home base at Del Mar Racetrack in California.
He is to be paraded before fans at the track this weekend, and then on to Santa Anita to continue training.
American Pharoah’s breeding rights were sold to Coolmore’s Ashford Stud for an unknown sum with his stud fee yet to be announced.
