Triple Crown winner American Pharoah competed for the first time since the June 6 Belmont Stakes and strolled to victory in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park in New Jersey.
OCEANPORT, N.J. – Jockey Victor Espinoza was curious as he let American Pharoah slingshot around the far turn at Monmouth Park on the Jersey Shore. Espinoza peeked beneath one shoulder, glanced over the other, then narrowed his eyes between his colt’s ears and stared down the stretch.
The Triple Crown champion’s ears were wiggling.
“He was having fun, and so was I,” a barely winded Espinoza said after defeating six rivals in the 48th running of the Grade I Haskell Invitational before a track-record crowd of 60,983.