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American Pharoah Gallops in Kentucky Ahead of Belmont Run

Exercise rider Jorge Alvarez said the 3-year-old colt "didn't seem like he was tired or anything."

Triple Crown hopeful American Pharoah went out for his first gallop since winning the Preakness, covering 1 3/16 miles at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, on Friday.

Exercise rider Jorge Alvarez said the 3-year-old colt "didn't seem like he was tired or anything."

American Pharoah won the Kentucky Derby on May 2 and the Preakness last Saturday. He is preparing for the Belmont Stakes on June 6, when he will attempt to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978.

American Pharoah is expected to have two timed workouts at Churchill Downs before he's sent to New York on June 3.

"It went very nice," said Jimmy Barnes, trainer Bob Baffert's assistant. "He's perfect - just the way he always is - so we'll gallop a little bit further maybe (Saturday), and then by Sunday we'll be back to his normal gallop at a mile-and-a-half."

Three of trainer Todd Pletcher's Belmont contenders had workouts at Belmont Park on Friday: Carpe Diem, Madefromlucky and Materiality. Carpe Diem, 10th in the Derby, and Peter Pan winner Madefromlucky ran together and were timed in 59.01 seconds for five furlongs. Materiality, sixth in the Derby, covered the same distance in 1:00.04 under regular rider John Velazquez.

"That was the best we've seen (Madefromlucky) breeze since we've got him," Pletcher said.

Also, Wood Memorial winner Frosted, who was fourth in the Derby, worked five furlongs in 1:01.45 for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.

In Friday workouts at Churchill Downs, Conquest Curlinate worked five furlongs in 59.80 seconds and Keen Ice went six furlongs in 1:15.

Norman Casse, assistant trainer to his father Mark, said Conquest Curlinate — second in the Peter Pan at Belmont on May 7 — should like the longer Belmont distance.

"He's always been a much more effective route horse obviously, so we think the distance is just perfect for him," Casse said.

Tammy Fox, assistant to Keen Ice's trainer Dale Romans, said Keen Ice is "a big horse and a big grinder" and thinks he'll handled the distance "just fine."

Other Belmont contenders include Frammento, Tale of Verve, Mubtaahij and War Story.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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