NEW YORK – Like a lot of athletes, American Pharoah has his quirks.
The brown colt is easy to pick out on the racetrack: He's the one with the shortest tail.
American Pharoah will try to become horse racing's 12th Triple Crown winner and first since Affirmed in 1978 when he runs in the Belmont Stakes on Saturday.
Trainer Bob Baffert describes the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner as "a really kind, sweet horse." That's an unusual temperament among racehorses, most of which are aggressive due to their high-strung nature. The colt's favorite snack is carrots, and he'll eat them out of anyone's hand around the barn.
His sidekick is Smokey, the mild-mannered stable pony that accompanies American Pharoah to and from the track during training.
Here are some more quirks to know about American Pharoah:
Ear plugs: Yep, he's sensitive to sound. Baffert found that out in American Pharoah's first career race at Del Mar, where he got agitated in the paddock. Now the colt doesn't leave his stall unless he has his ear plugs in.
Left front shoe: American Pharoah wears a protective plate on the sole of his left front foot while racing and training. The plate, which goes under the horseshoe, protects the triangular frog in his hoof and acts as a shock absorber when his foot hits the ground. Baffert said he started using the plate after American Pharoah bruised the frog in February.
