Belmont Stakes Fans are Hoping for the Final Jewel in the Crown

There will be a lot of people watching the Belmont Stakes this coming Saturday who were not alive the last time we saw a Triple Crown winner. The three big races always draw a massive TV audience, but expect those numbers, as well as the amounts wagered, to go through the roof this coming weekend. American Pharoah will face 7 other horses at Belmont Park, with the chance to make history awaiting him at the finish post. There have been few juveniles as talented as American Pharoah, and he proved he was going to be something special from very early on. He quickly made his mark on the west coast by winning the Del Mar Futurity and Frontrunner, a pair of Grade 1 races run at the famed Del Mar track. He was considered a favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile that year, but was forced to miss the race through injury. In the lead up to the Kentucky Derby, American Pharoah looked mighty impressive while prepping at Oaklawn Park, so it was no real surprise when he won the Run for the Roses. There were some concerns heading into the Preakness at Pimlico Park, as it looked as though the weather was going to be a factor. American Pharoah handled the slop like a pro, and blew away the 8-horse field to set up a potential Triple Crown on Saturday. He does have a little Belmont in his blood, as his grandfather, Empire Maker, won the big race back in 2003. While Hall of fame Trainer Bob Baffert has racked up 11 American Classic race wins in his remarkable career, he has only had one horse, Point Given (2001) win at the Belmont Stakes. Baffert has had some heartbreak with the Triple Crown, as he has had 3 horses – Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998), and War Emblem (2002) – fail to win the final jewel in the crown. The jockey for American Pharoah, 41-year old Victor Espinoza, has had similar close calls with the Triple Crown. He was aboard War Emblem back in 2002, and road California Chrome last year when it had the chance to make history. Time will only tell if these men, and this remarkable horse, will have their names go down in horse racing legend.