Will American Pharoah Have To Retire Soon?

It is a common deal to retire race horses of great potential: their value has to be kept. But what will happen to American Pharoah?

Gambling news has been blowing up since American Pharoah’s Triple Crown win this Saturday. Thoroughbred horse racing has been like this since the beginnings: if there’s a horse that wins “too much,” they are quickly retired. So, naturally, after this Saturday and this magnificent horse’s win, fans are starting to ask questions and getting worried.

• First since 1978 to win Triple Crown
• Three years old, going strong
• What’s next for him?

Fans who bet on American Pharoah on internet casinos as well as live race tracks have no idea what will become of their favorite horse. Just think about it, this whole thing is absurd! Take a horse, a magnificent racer who wins many prestigious awards and races like the wind. When this horse reaches the pinnacle of his “career,” he is retired with a swift move. I mean, logically, shouldn’t he be left to race and win many more awards? According to horse breeders, the answer to that question is a big fat “no.” A wonderful horse like this should be preserved and bred to father many beautiful and competitive foals.

It all boils down to the horse’s value when racing or breeding

Let’s talk a bit about the horse in question. American Pharoah is a thoroughbred horsey bred in Kentucky and owned by Ahmed Zayat. The famous jockey that rode him the most is Victor Espinoza; they won many races together. This amazing creature is the first since 1978 to win a Triple Crown. Currently, he is three years old. He won the Del Mar Futurity and Frontrunner Stakes at the age of two and has had a spotless track record ever since. Unfortunately for online sportsbooks in the US, he had to stay away from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in 2014 due to an injury. However, he still achieved the Eclipse Award for American Champion Two Year-Old Male Horse title.

So, what is the Triple Crown? Sounds cool and majestic, but why is it so hard to achieve? The word “triple” is a big clue, people: it’s all about winning three races. The horse also has to be three years old in order to qualify. The victor would have to win the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes. The actual name came into usage thanks to some journalists at the time who referred to the three races as the Triple Crown. The name stuck and gained momentum with the first win. Only twelve horses have won this title, which goes to show just how special it is. The earliest winner of the Triple Crown was Sir Barton in 1919.

Breeding is a delicate and pricey business

The Guardian asked Dan Rosenberg, an expert in this area about the processes of finding an ideal horse to breed. Fans of mobile betting sites, listen up! Could be that your favorite horse will soon be retiring. Rosenberg told The Guardian that horses who have won the Kentucky Derby are in high demand on the market. “A nice-looking two-year-old that wins his first race impressively might merit a call to the owner,” he said. It really is like a courtship: “Off that first race, we might not make an offer, but we’d express interest and start to build the relationship, staying in touch as the horse’s career unfolds.”

Take a deep breath. There are some expert opinions which point towards American Pharoah staying in the race; Dan Rosenberg told The Guardian that he has never in his career seen a contract in which a horse was retired straight after winning the Triple Crown. This doesn’t mean, however, that from a financial viewpoint it wouldn’t be a great move: American Pharoah could get USD 100,000 per mating. If he’s mated with 150 mares, he would earn much more than on a racetrack where he could also get injured. It’ll be interesting to see which option Ahmed Zayat chooses.