American Heroah!

Twenty years from now, Lord willing, someone will ask you about the 2015 Belmont Stakes and its champion, American Pharoah. And you will of course remember exactly where you were, who you were with and what you were doing the moment the unbeatable bay thundered down the homestretch, stride after lyrical stride, and galloped into immortality as just the 12th horse in history to win the Triple Crown.

(NYRA)

After a slight hesitation from the starting gate, the ever-so-aptly named jockey Victor Espinoza quickly guided his charge to the lead with a missile’s intent and never looked back, gobbling up the Belmont earth like a tornado, ears pricked like antennas to the heavens. His hapless rivals never had a chance.

Pharoah completed his mile and a half victory lap in 2:26.65. It’s the second fastest time in the Belmont Stakes among history’s 12 Triple Crown winners, trailing only the Secretariat’s unbreakable world record of 2:24.

Five weeks. Nearly four miles of racing. Roughly 2,000 miles of travel to three different tracks in three different states. 31 rivals up, 31 rivals down.

“I knew we would win in the first turn,” said an elated Espinoza, who has ridden American Pharoah in the last 7 of the colt’s 8 career starts, all wins. “He was ready today. As soon as I sat in the saddle, there was so much power and so much energy.”

Trainer Bob Baffert knew he had something special on his hands last year when American Pharoah captured the Eclipse Award as racing’s top juvenile. Having a great talent in the barn is one thing, pushing all the right buttons and not suffering even the slightest of setbacks is another. It’s as if this colt was predestined for this moment.

“It was a beautiful moment,” the Hall of Fame trainer said. “I’ll’ never forget the sound of the crowd. When he turned for home, and even past the wire, people were just…they erupted. I’ve never been involved in anything like that.”

Sheer brilliance. There are few things—nah, there is NOTHING—more beautiful then watching a horse that loves to run, RUN, and do it better than anything we’ve seen in ages. 37 years to be exact, and where this has been the point when collective hopes are mercilessly dashed, the 90,000 on hand in Belmont Park crescendoed into epic exultation that no one will ever forget.

No matter what you think about the sport or where you hang your allegiances, in those final gravity defying strides, we were all on the same team.

“37 years, we’ve waited for this,” an emotional Baffert postulated. “But you know what? This little horse deserves it. He brings it every time and he’s just a joy to be around.”

And you were watching. Cheering. Crying. A moment that transcends horse racing, and sports entirely. An American fairytale told by an American Pharoah.