American Pharoah, Keen Ice stretch their legs

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – On a bright, warm Saturday morning at Churchill Downs, Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner American Pharoah was sent through what figures to be his final gallop here, as the colt was tentatively scheduled to have his final breeze here Monday in preparation for the Belmont Stakes on June 6.

Trainer Bob Baffert was scheduled to return from his Southern California base Saturday night to be on hand Sunday and Monday amid mild weather. As for Saturday, it was good to American Pharoah – as all his mornings have been since he returned here May 18 following the Preakness.

With Jorge Alvarez aboard, and with only Keen Ice joining him during the special training session reserved for Belmont prospects, American Pharoah went through a familiar seven-minute routine, jogging clockwise to the wire, standing there for maybe 15 seconds, then getting right to it, going about 1 3/8 miles before pulling up midway on the backside. It’s the basic blueprint assistant trainer Jim Barnes has followed most mornings here, and Barnes expressed his usual high level of satisfaction afterward.

Just as American Pharoah was stepping off the track at the 5 1/2-furlong gap at 8:35 a.m. Eastern, Keen Ice, trained by Dale Romans, walked onto the track from the half-mile gap before going through his usual routine of jogging a mile and galloping a mile with Faustino Orantes aboard.

American Pharoah and Keen Ice will be among the New York-bound horses transported Tuesday morning on an equine charter flight scheduled to depart Louisville International Airport at about 10:30 Eastern.