Zipse: American Pharoah's my Horse of the Decade

It was a decade of racing that began with Blame and Zenyatta battling it out to the wire in not only the Breeders' Cup Classic, but also the 2010 Horse of the Year race. It was also a decade in which the sport was forced to look itself in the mirror after far too many horses were lost to catastrophic injuries. What these last 10 years will best be remembered for, however, is the return of the Triple Crown winner.

After decades of futility, American Pharoah and Justify raced into immortality by sweeping the spring classics under the tutelage of trainer Bob Baffert. While there is a long list of worthy champions who graced our racetracks over the past decade, the Triple Crown is the ultimate accomplishment for an American horse.

For becoming the first horse since Affirmed in 1978 to sweep the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes, American Pharoah became a national hero. The son of Pioneerof the Nile was far more than only a Triple Crown winner, too. The continued excellence of the 2015 Horse of the Year, from the beginning of his career through his retirement, earns him the title as the Horse of the Decade.

While the other Triple Crown winner of the decade has only one other stakes win to his career, American Pharoah was both a 2-year-old champion and a Breeders' Cup Classic winner. These accomplishments set him apart as the best of the best of the last 10 years.

After finishing out of the money in a troubled career debut, the Zayat Stables homebred went on one of the most dominant runs of modern American racing.

He became a Grade 1 winner in his second career start when he won the Del Mar Futurity in scintillating fashion. He doubled that total with a similarly impressive victory in the Frontrunner Stakes, since renamed the American Pharoah, in his third career race.

It was the dominant win in that race, in which he handily defeated Texas Red, who went on to upset the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, which ultimately clinched a championship. Despite being forced to miss the 2014 Breeders' Cup due to injury, he was clearly the best horse in the division and was rewarded with his first Eclipse Award. But that was only the beginning, and a mere prelude to his 3-year-old season.

Nearly six months away from the races provided little obstacle to the returning champion. A strong win in the Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park was followed by a tour de force in the Arkansas Derby (G1). To no one's surprise, American Pharoah arrived to Churchill Downs as the favorite for the Kentucky Derby.

A strong pace and a wide trip tested him, but for the fifth straight time, American Pharoah proved best. Now a Derby winner, fans began to dream of our first Triple Crown winner in 37 years, and a runaway victory in the Preakness Stakes fueled the fire.

Still, there was the 12 furlongs of the Belmont to be run. It was a race that had tripped up so many Triple Crown hopefuls over the years, that even this horse was doubted. Armed with a wonderful disposition, and a high cruising speed, American Pharoah, under Victor Espinoza, proved to be the perfect racehorse to handle the rigors of the marathon distance.

Few races in American history caused greater celebration, and American Pharoah was the reason. He had accomplished what no other horse had been able to do in nearly four decades. Though he ran just three more times after the Belmont, but his place in history was secured.

Only a narrow loss in the Travers (G1) prevented him from winning his final 10 races in succession. That defeat came after getting nailed late by Keen Ice following a prolonged battle with the multiple Grade 1 winner Frosted. Sandwiched around that unfortunate defeat were sublime victories in the Haskell Invitational (G1) and, of course, the Breeders' Cup Classic, in which he toyed with a field of good older horses.

His overall record speaks for itself. Nine of his last 10 races were Grade 1s, while the other was a Grade 2. He became the first Triple Crown winner in nearly 40 years and remains the only horse to sweep the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, Belmont, as well as the Breeders’ Cup Classic -- a feat recognized at the time as racing's "Grand Slam." Other than the Kentucky Derby and Travers, he won each of his races with complete authority.

And if his racing career is not enough, American Pharoah has already gotten off to a great start as a sire. He ranks as the top first-crop sire and sits behind only the established stallion Into Mischief on the leading 2-year-old sire list.

American Pharoah rightfully takes his place as the Horse of the Decade.