SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — Triple Crown winner American Pharoah has been beaten, losing to Keen Ice in the $1.6 million Travers Stakes before a stunned crowd Saturday at Saratoga Race Course.
American Pharoah entered the race as the overwhelming favorite, but lost the lead entering the far turn and just didn’t have the energy to catch Keen Ice.
The upset solidified Saratoga’s reputation as the “Graveyard of Favorites.” Only one of 12 Triple Crown winners has been able to go on and win the Travers Stakes — Whirlaway in 1941.
Keen Ice, a three-time loser, to American Pharoah entering the Travers Stakes was ridden by Javier Castellano, who won a record-setting fifth “Mid-Summer Derby.”
“I feel bad for the horse getting beat like that,” a disappointed trainer Bob Baffert said. “You can tell he wasn’t on his ’A’ game. Pharoah dug in, but Keen Ice ran a great race.”
Trained by Dale Romans, Keen Ice ran 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.57 and returned $34, $6.50 and $3.80.
American Pharoah, losing for the first time after eight consecutive magnificent wins, paid $2.40 and $2.10 as the 1-5 favorite in the 10-horse field.
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