On WFAN: American Pharoah Trainer Bob Baffert Confident Ahead Of Belmont
NEW YORK (WFAN) -- With the Belmont Stakes just a day away, WFAN host Mike Francesa broadcasted his Friday show live from Belmont Park in Elmont.
His first guest, fittingly, was American Pharoah trainer Bob Baffert. American Pharoah won both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, and is looking to become horse racing's first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978.
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"Everything that I see, the way he's trained, it looks like he still has it in the tank," Baffert told Francesa. "But you really don't know until you put him in the gate and they go around there ... I feel pretty good about it. Watching him the way he's trained, the way he's worked, he's coming into it really strong.
"The way he moves, he moves so effortlessly. I've never had a horse who moves as good as he does. And that's what you need going a mile-and-a-half," Baffert added.
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Pharoah is set to run against seven horses. The colt's jockey, Victor Espinoza, has run for a Triple Crown twice before. Baffert has swept the Derby and Preakness three times. The 62-year-old has won four Kentucky Derbies, six Preakness Stakes and one Belmont Stakes during his illustrious career.
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"I think coming in here, I think I would compare (American Pharoah) with Point Given," Baffert told Francesa. "I never thought I'd ever have another great horse like him. He's something. He's a 2-year-old champion ... He's brilliant. To me, the Triple Crown is all about dominating. You have to be the best of the horses that you're running with.
"I think he's shown that, but he needs to step it up one more time. I think that's the whole key, and I think he can."
American Pharoah will be in the No. 5 post position and is the 3-5 favorite to win the race. The other horses in the field are Mubtaahij (10-1), Tale of Verve (15-1), Madefromlucky (12-1), Frammento (30-1), Frosted (5-1), Keen Ice (20-1) and Materiality (6-1).
Post time is scheduled for 6:50 p.m. on Saturday.
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Below you can find audio from Francesa's other guests on Friday, some of the biggest names in horse racing.
Hall Of Fame Jockey Jerry Bailey
Frosted Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin
Materiality And Madefromlucky Trainer Todd Pletcher
Monmouth Handicapper Brad Thomas
Tale Of Verve Trainer Dallas Stewart