A life-size bronze statue of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah will be unveiled Thursday at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs in a ceremony beginning at 11 a.m.
American Pharoah, trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, began his 3-year-old season by winning the 2015 Rebel Stakes and Arkansas Derby before becoming the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years. He retired at the end of 2015 after winning the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic.
"American Pharoah took a couple of detours on his way to the Triple Crown. But running and winning twice at Oaklawn he found the stride, the resilience and the will to win that enabled him to power through the [Kentucky] Derby, Preakness and Belmont," Baffert said in a news release from Oaklawn.
The bronze statue by artist James Peniston was commissioned by the late Charles Cella and is the focal point of a newly redesigned entrance to Oaklawn's grandstand.
"Oaklawn has always been a track we love and have had great success at," said Justin Zayat, racing manager for Zayat Stables and son of owner Ahmed Zayat. "Winning the Rebel and Arkansas Derby was a great foundation for American Pharoah and it was after his Arkansas Derby [victory] that we knew we had something truly special."
Oaklawn President Louis Cella said the statue is a lasting tribute to both American Pharoah and his father.
"His vision for the track was to have the very best 3-year-olds come through Hot Springs on their way to the Triple Crown races. His dream started coming true in 2004, the year Smarty Jones won the Rebel, Arkansas Derby, Kentucky Derby and Preakness, and came full circle when American Pharaoh won the Triple Crown," Cella said.
The unveiling will be open to the public.
Sports on 01/10/2018