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American Pharoah wins Belmont Stakes, Triple Crown

ELMONT, N.Y., June 6 (UPI) — American Pharoah won the Belmont Stakes on Saturday and with it the first Triple Crown in 37 years.

American Pharoah, winner of the Preakness and the Kentucky Derby, led the whole way at Belmont, finishing the 1 1/2-mile run in 2:26.65. Frosted was second; Keen Ice came in third.

The 3-year-old colt is only the 12th horse to win the Triple Crown, but was the favorite going into the 147th Belmont on Saturday.

Jockey Victor Espinoza rode American Pharoah for all three wins.

Espinoza rode California Chrome to victory in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness last year, but finished in a dead heat for fourth in the Belmont. Espinoza was also War Emblem’s jockey when he failed to win the Triple Crown in 2002.

He is the first Hispanic to win the Triple Crown, according to ESPN.

American Pharaoh is trained by Bob Baffer and owned by Zayat Stables.


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American Pharoah Wins Belmont Stakes, Triple Crown

NEW YORK (AP) — At long last, the Triple Crown drought is over.

American Pharoah led all the way to win the Belmont Stakes by 5 ½ lengths on Saturday, becoming the first horse in 37 years to sweep the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes — one of the sporting world’s rarest feats.

The bay colt with the unusually short tail defeated seven rivals in the grueling 1 1/2-mile race, covering the distance in 2:26.65 to end the longest stretch without a Triple Crown champion in history.

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. He 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.

Trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Victor Espinoza ended their own frustrating histories in the Triple Crown. Baffert finally won on his record fourth Triple try, having lost in 1997, 1998 (by a nose) and in 2002. Espinoza got it done with his record third shot after failing to win in 2002 and last year on California Chrome.

Frosted finished second and Keen Ice third.