American Pharoah rules as 12th Triple Crown winner

American Pharoah ended US racing's 37-year Triple Crown drought on Saturday with a convincing victory in the Belmont Stakes.

Ridden by Victor Espinoza and trained by Bob Baffert, American Pharoah added the 1 1/2-mile Belmont to his Kentucky Derby and Preakness wins to become the 12th horse to sweep all three, and the first since Affirmed in 1978.

Since then 13 horses had claimed the first two jewels of the Triple Crown only to be undone by the Belmont.

That list included three horses trained by Baffert and two ridden by Espinoza.

"Wow! Wow!" Espinoza said as his mount cantered toward the winner's circle to delirious cheers.

His mount broke slowly from the gate, but responded quickly as Espinoza took him straight to the lead.

He stayed in front the rest of the way, the first favorite to win the Belmont since Afleet Alex in 2005.

American Pharoah ended a record Triple Crown drought. The previous record gap was 25 years, from Citation in 1948 to Secretariat in 1973.
Source: AFP