1` A NEW Crown On June 6 2015 the racetrack at Belmont Park in New York was packed with 90 000 people They came to watch a horse named American Pharoah race in the Belmont Stakes The horse with the misspelled name had already won the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May and the Preakness Stakes two weeks later Together these three races are known as the Triple Crown They are open only to 3 year old Thoroughbreds Winning all three races is one of the most sought after goals in the sport of horse racing Only 11 horses had done
Some people wore American Pharoah's running number in support
it beginning with Sir Barton in 1919 The most recent winner Affirmed beat his rival Alydar in each race to capture the crown in 1978 American Pharoah certainly looked like a winner The big muscular bay strutted through the paddock with his long swinging stride and a confident gaze He had already achieved more than his sire or father Pioneer of the Nile who placed second in the Kentucky Derby in 2009 American Pharoah had an impressive team of humans working with him too His owner Ahmed Zayat was an Egyptian American entrepreneur who ran the multimillion dollar Zayat Stables Ahmed Zayat gives American Pharoah a kiss the day before the Belmont Stakes
