It’s hard to believe it was 10 years ago. So much has happened in the real world since American Pharoah swept the 2015 Triple Crown and capped his 3-year-old season with a historic “Grand Slam” win in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland.
It was the perfect ending for the 2-year-old colt with the imperfect name.
It’s well-known by now that Spendthrift Farm’s four-legged Ted Noffey received his name following an innocent typo of the name of the farm’s manager, Ned Toffey.
And, of course, what has happened since then makes perfect sense.
What do you do with a champion filly who won her title for her performances on turf at age 2? Why, you run her on dirt, too, of course, and in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff, the World Championships’ signature contest for fillies and mares, no less.
NBC Sports will provide extensive coverage of the 42nd Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Del Mar on Oct. 31 – Nov. 1. The season-culminating event features 14 races worth more than $34 million in purses and awards.
