When talking about the greatest Thoroughbred racehorses of all time, American Pharoah easily belongs in that conversation thanks to winning the American Triple Crown, as well as the Breeders’ Cup Classic, which will be held on Nov. 6 and 7 at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky.
American Pharoah’s record was 9-1-0, and won the American Triple Crown in 2015. By winning the Kentucky Derby, a wet and muddy Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes with ease, American Pharoah became only the 12th Triple Crown winner in history, and ended a drought that lasted since 1978 when Affirmed last won the honor.
But not only did American Pharoah win the Triple Crown, he also won the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Classic in glorious fashion at Keeneland – an accomplishment now coined as the “Grand Slam” in U.S. horse racing.
For the last race of his career at the Breeders’ Cup, American Pharoah set a track record of 2:00.7, shattering the previous record by more than five seconds. The stallion also beat the field by 6 ½ lengths, having led the entirety of the race.
This accomplishment is no small feat, and it set American Pharoah to be recognized as the Associated Press’ top sports story of 2015. American Pharoah was also unanimously selected as the American Horse of the Year and Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse in 2015.
The Breeders’ Cup Classic is a year-end championship that brings some of the best Thoroughbreds throughout North America together to compete one last time. It also sees three-year-old racehorses race up, against four and five-year-old Thoroughbreds.
The race was first run in 1984, and includes a slew of great winners of the years, including Unbridled, Arrogate, Zenyatta, Tiznow, Sunday Silence and of course, American Pharoah.