AMERICAN PHAROAH OUT EARLY FOR LIKELY FINAL SANTA ANITA BREEZE, TRIPLE CROWN CHAMP GOES FIVE FURLONGS IN 59.80 AND IS SET TO SHIP TO KENTUCKY FOR APPOINTMENT WITH DESTINY IN $5 MILLION BREEDERS’ CUP CLASSIC OCT. 31

ARCADIA, Calif. (Oct. 3, 2015)—In his final Santa Anita workout, Triple Crown Champion American Pharoah breezed a solid five furlongs this morning in 59.80, although Bob Baffert had him in 59.40 while galloping out six furlongs in 1:12.40 and seven eighths of a mile in 1:25.80.

“He looked good,” Baffert said, amidst a gaggle of reporters shortly before 7 a.m. “I’ve never seen him look bad working.”

Highly respected private clocker and bloodstock agent Gary Young had “Pharoah,” who came on the track immediately following the 6:30 renovation, carving out interior splits of 12.20, 24.20, 36 flat and 48 flat. “He looked good today. Bob always likes his horses to work in the three or four path and that’s where ‘Pharoah was today.’ When this horse is in full-flight, he’s as good a movin’ horse as you’ll ever see.

“The gallop-out time was good and he had good energy—He looked like the ‘Pharoah’ that we know. I guess this is the last time we’ll ever see him breeze here and I’d like to see him go out a winner, but it’s obviously going to be a very tough race.”

Ridden by Martin Garcia, the Ahmed Zayat homebred colt by Pioneerof the Nile initially backtracked to the three furlong pole, then turned and galloped through the stretch before being set down by Garcia leaving the 5 ½ furlong pole.

The nation’s first Triple Crown Champion since Affirmed in 1978, American Pharoah, who will go to stud in 2016, has been expected to be shipped to Kentucky in the coming week. However, Baffert said this morning that instead of shipping as planned on Monday, he would wait and further evaluate “Pharoah’s” training schedule and date of departure.

When the time comes, American Pharoah will likely train at Churchill Downs in advance of what the racing world hopes will be an epic showdown with superstar mare Beholder and others in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland Oct. 31.