BALTIMORE — Minutes before the Preakness, it was an ominous scene at Pimlico Race Course. Thunder and lightning. Wind and rain. A record crowd scrambling for cover. A drenched racetrack.
Nothing — absolutely nothing — was going to stop American Pharoah, especially the competition.
Thunder rumbled as the starting gate opened, and the Kentucky Derby winner took charge early on and overpowered seven rivals, winning by seven lengths to put trainer Bob Baffert back in the Triple Crown groove.
“Great horses do great things,” Baffert said after his sixth Preakness victory, “and he showed that today. He’s just an incredible horse.”
And in three weeks, the stage will be set for the ultimate drama in racing — a Triple Crown attempt at the Belmont Stakes in New York.
“I don’t even want to think about the Triple Crown right now,’ the 62-year-old trainer said. “I want to enjoy this. It’s tough up there.”
American Pharoah, who started from the rail under Victor Espinoza, will be 14th Derby-Preakness winner to have a shot at becoming the first to sweep the Derby, Preakness and Belmont since Affirmed in 1978.
For Baffert, he’ll be making an unprecedented fourth attempt at a Triple. He won the Derby and Preakness with Silver Charm in 1997, Real Quiet in 1998 and War Emblem in 2002. All three fell short in the Belmont.
A rainstorm began about 15 minutes before the race went off, preceded by several lightning bolts, but it didn’t affect American Pharoah, a sweet-striding 3-year-old. The colt dealt with similar conditions in winning the Rebel Stakes in March.
Part of the record crowd of 131,680 may have missed the race as they fled the infield and huddled under tents. No matter. The result was not a surprise.
The dominating win confirmed owner Ahmed Zayat’s belief that American Pharoah is a champion in the making.
“I always told everybody American Pharoah would show up today,” said Zayat, drenched after his trip to the winner’s circle. “Indeed he did. He is the real deal.”
42-year-old rider from Mexico won the Derby and Preakness with War Emblem in 2002 and California Chrome last year, but fell short in the Belmont.
“I hope the third one is the charm,” Espinoza said.