LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup Classic champion American Pharoah is Kentucky Sportsman of the Year, the first horse to win in the award’s 35-year history.
American Pharoah was honored during Tuesday night’s fifth annual Bluegrass Sports Awards banquet in Lexington. Born locally at Stockplace Farm, he became the first horse since 1978 to win the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes. The colt added a dominating victory in the Classic at Keeneland to cap a stellar season and career with his seventh win in eight starts with a second.
The horse also ran away in Sportsman balloting, receiving a record 141 first-place votes among 163 cast by media members from across the state. American Pharoah won by a record 897 points over Kentucky men’s basketball coach John Calipari.
