HOT SPRINGS -- Oaklawn Park could have been mistaken for ancient Egypt on Saturday.
An estimated crowd of 2,500 watched the simulcast of the Kentucky Derby, and as the field of 18 turned for home at Churchill Downs a chant of "Pharoah" rose from the din.
American Pharoah, winner of the Arkansas Derby on April 11 at Oaklawn Park, followed Dortmund and Firing Line on the lead throughout and the three separated themselves from the rest as they exited the final turn.
Firing Line passed Dortmund when they straightened for the final drive, and American Pharoah went wide, passed Dortmund and loomed on Firing Line's right shoulder.
Oaklawn director of racing David Longinotti stood near the announcer's booth on the ground floor and watched one of three 100-square-foot screens in the main viewing area.
"Come, Pharaoh," he urged. "Get up, get up."
Kerry Hobby, director of food and beverage operations at Oaklawn, stood nearby and was caught up as well.
"Go Pharoah," she said. "Go Pharoah. Go Pharoah."
The chants from Hobby and most of the crowd grew louder as American Pharoah took the lead in the final eighth of a mile and pulled away to win by a length over Firing Line. Dortmund finished third, but at least for a moment nothing seemed to matter to anyone at Oaklawn but American Pharoah's victory.
"For years it's always been the case that you want to cheer for the horse that won the Arkansas Derby, because it's your home track and you consider the winner your home horse," said Kevin Shook of Little Rock. "It's like your horse against the rest of the world."
"I'd already lost my money," said Lee Stump, a Hot Springs retiree who arrived at Oaklawn at noon, a little more than five hours before the start of the Kentucky Derby. "I needed the two [Carpe Diem], so since he was out of it I was definitely cheering for Pharoah."
"I'm always excited when Oaklawn horses do well," Longinotti said. "I mean, this is what we base our entire racing program on, getting horses ready for the Triple Crown. When we have one do this, it's very rewarding."
American Pharoah became the third horse to win both the Arkansas and Kentucky derbies. Lil E. Tee was the first, in 1992, and Smarty Jones became the second in 2004.
"Popularity of the Kentucky Derby simulcast here always hinges on the horse who wins the Kentucky Derby," said Terry Wallace, Oaklawn Park's track announcer from 1975-2011. "This really looks like a legitimate horse, so everyone's pretty excited about him."
The crowd at the track was much denser than on a typical day of racing during Oaklawn's winter and spring season. Everyone was on the ground floor, either inside or on the outdoor grandstands from about the 16th pole to the finish line.
Hobby said the concentration of customers made food service a simpler process.
"If you can put all of your eggs in one basket, it's a lot easier to carry," she said.
Longinotti made it clear before the race that he was there to cheer for the three horses from the Arkansas Derby, which also included Far Right and Mr. Z. Mr. Z finished 13th, and Far Right was 15th.
"It's not so much about the quantity of horses we have in the Derby, but the quality," Longinotti said. "When we have horses like American Pharoah, Afleet Alex, Curlin, Smarty Jones, it makes a difference. The better our horses do, the better our simulcast business does.
"Simulcasting is no longer a big part of our business, but it's still important to us, and if we can have big days on Triple Crown days, Breeders' Cup days, it helps."
A crowd estimated at nearly 10,000 came to Oaklawn when Smarty Jones ran in the 2004 Belmont Stakes with a chance to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978.
"I'm selfish," Longinotti said. "I want to have a Triple Crown winner, but I only want one if he wins here first.
"We hope in two weeks all these people come back for the Preakness, and we hope he's able to do it again, and then three weeks after that, we could have a heck of a day."
Sports on 05/03/2015