A superstar lands in A.C.: American Pharoah

The jet took off from Ontario International Airport in Southern California on Wednesday at 5:02 a.m. Pacific time. It made a stop in Lexington, Ky., a natural horse hub, where it dropped off nine of its 12 equine passengers. The three remaining thoroughbreds continued on to Atlantic City International Airport, landing at 2:09 p.m.

Two of the horses, Smiling John and Sir Macho, had to wait for the third to get off first. When the side door of the jet popped up, there was American Pharoah, in his flying stall, ears up, looking out the door. The Triple Crown winner is back on the East Coast, ready to race Sunday in the Haskell Invitational.

It was hot on the tarmac, over 90 degrees, but the horse never touched the ground. Pharoah went directly to a waiting van for the trip up the Garden State Parkway to Monmouth Park in Oceanport. He didn't exactly travel undercover. His private horse van had his name in big painted letters, "2015 Triple Crown winner" right underneath.

A groom stopped Pharoah for 10 seconds or so for photographs and he certainly looked no worse for wear from the trip.

"If he's on that plane, he's doing exceptionally well," trainer Bob Baffert had said the day before on a conference call. "If he wasn't doing exceptionally well, he wouldn't be on the plane."

The jet can handle up to 21 horses, with stall spaces 30 inches wide, said Rob Clark, president of the H.E. Sutton Forwarding Co. If the plane wasn't full, the stalls could be widened to 45 inches. Obviously, Pharoah got the wide berth. He was up front and the other two horses were all the way in the back.

You might think horses get tranquilized for these trips, but Clark said that's rarely the case for racehorses, especially since that could run afoul of medication rules before a race.

"This horse takes it all in stride," Clark said of American Pharoah. He'd watched him get off in Kentucky after the Belmont Stakes. Nothing bothered him, Clark said, and he seemed to like the attention.

Running in the Haskell for his first race after becoming the only living Triple Crown winner, the first since 1978, American Pharoah will be aiming for the largest share of a purse that has been raised from $1 million to $1.75 million, race officials announced Wednesday.

It's interesting, and wise, that they didn't make that announcement until this week. Clearly, this was meant as a thank you to Pharoah's connections, not an enticement for rivals. Baffert and owner Ahmed Zayat already each will receive $75,000 for their three Triple Crown wins. That's long been a Haskell bonus. The rest of the money was put into the purse, with the winner now getting $1.1 million, up from $600,000.

Obviously, it is American Pharoah who is drawing a crowd expected to be around 60,000. Even at the airport, a couple dozen race fans pressed against the fence trying to get a look at the horse as he arrived.

"We did this last year, but nothing like this," an airport official said, looking at the line of cameras waiting for the plane.

All signs have been a go lately, Pharoah's trainer said. Did Baffert feel pressure? American Pharoah has won seven straight since he lost his very first race last August at Del Mar.

"I think there was more pressure for the Kentucky Derby," Baffert said. "To me, I felt a lot of pressure for the Kentucky Derby because we couldn't let that race get away. I don't feel that pressure. Everything's doing well. We know how good he is. He just needs racing luck to get around there. The way he prepared, he's ready for this race."

And New Jersey was ready for him. One state trooper had his lights on by the airport entrance ready to accompany the horse. Another trooper was parked by the Wawa, out by the traffic circle, also ready to jump on the Garden State Parkway and escort a horse north, pointed toward the history books, seeing if he can add a little more.

More cameras waited 75 miles north, and confirmed he made it to the racetrack safely.

"It's a long trip," said Baffert assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes. "We left Del Mar around 1:30 in the morning."