So the wait begins, again. After Nyquist's disappointing loss in the Preakness Stakes the wait for a Triple Crown winner started again on Saturday. As crushing as Nyquist's loss was for horse racing fans, it showed what a talented horse American Pharaoh was last year.
By all expert analysis Nyquist seemed like a virtual lock to win the Preakness stakes, but on a sloppy track Saturday, it was not his day. The previously undefeated horse was able to get the entire horse racing contingent behind his triple crown hopes, and many had false hopes that we would see a triple crown winner back-to-back years. Turns out winning the triple crown is really, really hard.
The younger generation was spoiled to have a horse as great as American Pharaoh. And while we will be waiting another number of years for another triple crown winner, (hopefully not 37) American Pharaoh will continue breeding to make hundreds of thousands of dollars a day.
So let's reminisce:
Oh yeah, and he won the Breeders Cup Classic:
In a sense, horse racing fans owe American Pharaoh a list of "thank you's."
Here they are:
1. For making the Triple Crown seem winnable again.
Nyquist's unfair expectations proved that this is the case. For the next 10 years any undefeated winner of the Kentucky Derby will be given the expectation of winning the triple crown.
2. For ending the wait that was entirely too long.
37 years. It honestly sounds absurd to think about it. For many people American Pharaoh is the first triple crown winner they have ever seen. The long wait made it that much sweeter when he crossed the finish line at Belmont Park.
3. For bringing excitement other than gambling to horse racing.
The average person sees horse racing as nothing more than a way to make money. People cheer for the horses they have money on. It makes sense, but when there's an opportunity to see a triple crown winner the bets become second in importance.
4. For providing a new generation of great racehorses.
When American Pharaoh is done being a stud he will have reproduced will have a lot of foals ready to grow up and become racehorses. Any horse attaining his genes will be sold at a hefty price.
5. For being the 2000s Secretariat
American Pharaoh is the face of horse racing, and he's going to be for a very long time. He could not have won the triple crown at a more ideal time, and for that he won't be forgotten.
