Raider Nation
Devil's Advocate
How about that...
The Graveyard of Champions, as this historic racetrack is known, had buried three previous Triple Champions and on Saturday it claimed its fourth as American Pharoah was run down by Keen Ice in the 146th running of the Travers Stakes. Keen Ice, who went off as a 16-1 long shot, won by three-quarters of a length.
The Spa, as Saratoga Race Course is known, comes by its nickname honestly, as anyone who rooted for Gallant Fox and Affirmed can attest. Gallant Fox was beaten by the 100-1 long shot Jim Dandy in the 1930 Midsummer Derby, and Affirmed was disqualified in 1978 for interfering with his fierce rival Alydar around the grandstand turn.
One other Triple Crown champion ran here as well — the great Secretariat, and he was beaten by Onion in the 1973 Whitney Handicap. It was only second career loss for American Pharoah and his first since his debut more than a year ago. He had won eight straight, each performance more breathtaking performance than the last until Saturday. The Breeders’ Cup Classic on Oct. 31 at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., is intended to be his last race before retiring to stallion duty, but his Hall of Fame trainer, Bob Baffert, has not ruled out running the colt once more before then.
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