After American Pharoah … Who is #2?

American Pharoah will be the Horse of the Year for 2015. I am happy to completely lay to rest any small doubt that may remain concerning that question. I don’t care if he does not win another race the rest of the year, racing’s most prestigious end of the year honor has already been put to bed. Six dominant graded stakes wins, in as many starts, as well as becoming the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years, will do that for a horse. With that in mind, the rest of the season does, in some part, come down to the matter of -- who is #2? Leaders of the other divisional categories would be the likely candidates, but most of the other awards are anything but decided to this point, including the Older Male championship. Another fun way to look at this question, is … who may represent the biggest challenge to American Pharoah in this year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic?

With Shared Belief and California Chrome on the sidelines, and Bayern seemingly not the same horse as he was last year, the focus of the division has very much shifted from the West to the East. Specifically and immediately, Saturday’s Grade 1 Whitney has attracted a deep and talented field that could well go a long way in sorting things out a bit within the division. Honor Code, off a scintillating last-to-first score in the Met Mile will go favored, but it is no exaggeration to say even the longest shot in this expected nine-horse field comes in with very solid credentials. Because of the overall strength of the Whitney, the winner could easily move not only to the lead of the important division, but also in the race for #2.

After handicapping the big race Saturday at Saratoga, I actually have landed on a relative newcomer to Grade 1 racing in Noble Bird. The late developing son of Birdstone is getting better with every start, and much like Fort Larned did a few years back, I have a feeling that the tactical Midwest-based runner is going to show the New York blue-bloods a thing or two. But like I said, if any from this all-star cast (Honor Code, Tonalist, Lea, Wicked Strong, V.E. Day, Liam’s Map, Normandy Invasion, or the defending champ Moreno) win nicely in the Whitney, they would move to the head of the class as of Sunday morning. And do not forget of the return of Palace Malice on Sunday afternoon, who at his best, can run with anyone.

While the older male division is the most likely suspect to find the strongest challenge for the Triple Crown champion on Breeders’ Cup Classic day, that does not necessarily mean American racing’s #2 in 2015 will come from this bunch.

A pair of very good sophomore colts went at it in an exciting edition of the recent Jim Dandy, and as good as the winner, Texas Red, and as the valiant runner-up, Frosted, ran that day, there is every reason to believe that they will be even better for the ten furlong Travers on August 29. Texas Red is still on the improve after missing most of the first half of the year with a few physical setbacks, and 1 ¼ miles should be right up his alley. Having said that, I’m still not sure I like him better than Frosted. Making his first start since running second to American Pharoah in the Belmont, the gray son of Tapit gave the winner a few pounds and clearly was not given the better trip in the Jim Dandy. The Travers grudge match should be fun, with a few Haskell runners like Keen Ice, and Upstart thrown in, the winner of this should be a legitimate threat for the Classic at Keeneland. Or maybe they will get their chance at Pharoah again sooner, if the big horse is pointed there, which, by the way, looks much more likely than it did a few weeks ago.

The fairer sex should never be underestimated when talking about our sport’s best horses. She definitely stamped herself as a potential #2 this year with three impressive scores, but unfortunately, Lady Eli is dealing with a far more important battle than any of the six lifetime races she has won. So far, her fight against laminitis is going well, so we can remain very hopeful that the undefeated turf star will be around for many years to come, whether or not she makes it back to the races or not.

Meanwhile, another top female returned in grand style recently, as Beholder won the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch in an absolute laugher. Like Lady Eli, she is now perfect in three starts this year, but the two-time champion definitely turned it up a notch in the Hirsch. It was so impressive, in fact, that we may see the Spendthrift mare take on the boys for the first time in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic. An undefeated record and a big victory against the boys in Del Mar’s signature race would certainly push her closer to a third Eclipse Award, as well as strong consideration as America’s second best horse.

If Beholder is indeed on the verge of doing something special in the Pacific Classic, it will come at the direct expense of some hard-hitting males, like Catch A Flight and Hoppertunity, who also have designs on making a run at the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Halloween in Lexington.

Finally, in the race for #2, we should not forget about the turf horses. Next Saturday’s Arlington Million looks to be a strong edition. Topped by Big Blue Kitten, The Pizza Man, Gabriel Charles, and Slumber. A victory by any one of the top three from the home team, or a reinvigorated Slumber, for that matter, who already come to Chicago with some momentum, would vault them to the top of America’s turf hierarchy. And lest we forget that old champion, Wise Dan, who is getting closer to his 2015 debut.

The race for the Horse of the Year award may have been snatched early, and in grand style, by the one they call Pharoah, but clearly that does not take any of the intrigue away from all the big races we have coming up in the summer and fall.