Publish date:

Jun 6, 2015

American Pharoah Wins The Triple Crown

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American Pharoah Wins The Triple Crown

American Pharoah led all the way to win the Belmont Stakes by 5 1/2 lengths on Saturday, becoming the first horse since 1978 to sweep the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes--one of the sporting world's rarest feats. Here are SI's best photos from the event. (Text credit: AP)

The bay colt with the unusually short tail easily defeated seven rivals in the grueling 1 1/2-mile race. (Text credit: AP)

American Pharoah covered the distance in 2:26.65 -- the sixth-fastest in Belmont history. (Text credit: AP)

American Pharoah is the 12th horse and first since Affirmed in 1978 to win three races on different tracks at varying distances over a five-week span. (Text credit: AP)

Jockey Victory Espinoza hustled American Pharoah to the lead leaving the No. 5 post and quickly got him over to the rail. He was never seriously challenged after that. (Text credit: AP)

American Pharoah ran the final quarter-mile in 24.32 seconds, faster than Secretariat's time of 25 seconds in winning the 1973 Belmont. (Text credit: AP)

Sent off as the overwhelming 3-5 favorite, American Pharoah paid $3.50, $2.80 and $2.50. (Text credit: AP)

American Pharoah delivered a victory for the Egyptian-born Zayat, who bred the colt and put him up for sale before buying him back for $300,000. (Text credit: AP)

American Pharoah was followed by second-place finisher Frosted, while Keen Ice was another two lengths back in third. Mubtaahij was fourth, followed by Frammento, Madefromlucky, Tale of Verve and Materiality. (Text credit: AP)

American Pharoah joined the exclusive club of Triple Crown winners Sir Barton (1919), Gallant Fox (1930), Omaha (1935), War Admiral (1937), Whirlaway (1941), Count Fleet (1943), Assault (1946), Citation (1948), Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977) and Affirmed. (Text credit: AP)

American Pharoah finally made a Triple Crown winner out of trainer Bob Baffert, who won on his record fourth Triple try, having lost in 1997, 1998 (by a nose) and in 2002. (Text credit: AP)

Jockey Victor Espinoza ended his own frustrating history in the Triple Crown. He got it done with his record third shot after failing to win in 2002 and in 2014 on California Chrome. (Text credit: AP)

Since 1978, the rigors of the Triple Crown had done in 13 other horses who won the Derby and the Preakness--with 12 losing the third leg and I'll Have Another scratched with a leg injury in 2012. American Pharoah brought an end to that drought. (Text credit: AP)

Unlike Affirmed, who dueled Alydar in all three races, American Pharoah didn't have a specific rival since he was the only horse to run in all three Triple Crown races. Going into the Belmont, American Pharoah had beaten all of his seven challengers before. (Text credit: AP)

After making his way back to the crowd, Espinoza took American Pharoah nearly the length of the sprawling grandstand so fans could pay their respects to the champion. (Text credit: AP)

''That's a hell of a horse,'' said Gary Stevens, who finished seventh aboard Tale of Verve. ''The race was over in the third jump from the gate.'' (Text credit: AP)

As the horses were heading to the starting gate, owner Ahmed Zayat was overflowing with confidence and turned to his wife. ''I told her, `Get ready to be the owner of the 12th Triple Crown winner,''' he said. (Text credit: AP)

The start was clean as American Pharoah broke from the fifth gate to the lead.

The crowd of 90,000--capped to avoid overcrowding and long lines from last year's total of 102,199--roared for American Pharoah from start to finish. (Text credit: AP)

It's unlikely the champion heard them since American Pharoah wears ear plugs to block noise that might get him worked up. (Text credit: AP)

Before demolishing his rivals on Saturday, American Pharoah won the Kentucky Derby by one length on May 2 and then romped to a seven-length victory in the rainy Preakness two weeks later. (Text credit: AP)