Baltimore Erupted In Cheers Following Triple Crown Win
BALTIMORE (WJZ)—A Triple Crown winner must come through Maryland and with the Derby and Preakness already clinched, Maryland was rooting for American Pharoah.
Alex DeMetrick has more on the 147th Belmont Stakes.
Race fans at Pimlico erupted in cheers. Just months ago American Pharoah had won the Preakness in Baltimore.
The winning jockey's colors from that are above the bar at the Mount Washington Tavern, but it was the win at Belmont being celebrated.
"It was so exciting. The room was electric. It was about time we had a Triple Crown winner," said Mary Michael.
"American Pharoah. That horse is an absolute animal to watch him pull out the last quarter lap every single race," said Kyle Ferraioli.
And for those in the business, a Triple Crown win...
"It's such a hard thing to accomplish. You know it's the golden grail. It's dreaming the impossible dream like Don Quixote," said Billy Boniface, Maryland breeder/trainer.
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Billy Boniface has spent his life breeding and training thoroughbreds, in a state with deep roots to the sport.
"Now you need to remind your audience it all started in Maryland. In 1721 the first thorough bred race was run in Maryland," Boniface said.
And for breeders, the business has been seeing some growth. All the attention of a Triple Crown winner has a way of rubbing off and filtering down.
"Maryland being a thoroughbred breeding state, we profit by all this notoriety, all the attention which I think is the greatest athlete of all," said Boniface.
And for those people lucky enough to have bet on American Pharoah in all three races, and kept their tickets—now a nice bit of historic sports memorabilia.