BALTIMORE — American Pharoah, the winner of the Kentucky Derby, appears to glide over the racetrack, a mark of a supremely gifted thoroughbred. His ability to find yet a higher gear in the homestretch leaves jockeys on opposing horses in awe. And his pedigree — a son of the Derby runner-up Pioneerof the Nile, who is also making a mark in the breeding shed — leaves little doubt that he is a formidable contender to win the Preakness Stakes here on Saturday.
But American Pharoah, a gentle horse, does not like crowds, and that is a real problem during Triple Crown season, when 3-year-old horses are asked to perform in front of more than 100,000 people.