“American Pharoah” on the Block at the Spa

A fiberglass statue of American Pharoah, painted by the world's most celebrated equine artist, Pierre Bellocq (PEB) will be on display at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Selected Yearling Sale and auctioned for charity at the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation's Aug. 9 fundraiser, confirmed Fasig CEO Boyd Browning.
Fasig-Tipton, of course, offered the 2015 Triple Crown winner at their 2013 yearling sale, and thought the fiberglass representation was not only a good way to memorialize the sale, but to raise money for charity, Browning said.
“We wanted to celebrate the amazing accomplishments of American Pharoah in a positive manner,” said Browning. “Peb, the TRF and American Pharoah make a great team.”
Bellocq, the celebrated cartoonist and artist who currently does commissions as well as working regularly for the TDN, was given a blank canvas to do as he wished with the horse.
Reached in his Princeton, New Jersey studio, Bellocq said, “I did a few of these years ago and somebody remembered it at Fasig-Tipton and they asked me if I wanted to do one for the sales grounds at Saratoga. I said I would be happy to do it. They said to decorate a horse to celebrate American Pharoah.”
Bellocq developed a whimsical representation containing the Triple Crown trophy, a flower from each race and a saddle towel commemorating America, as well as owner Ahmed Zayat's signature silks.
“Basically, I wanted to use the two colors of Mr. Zayat–blue and yellow–and the dots on his silks, and it started this way. I would say there is a muse somewhere that leads me, but I just decorated it to celebrate this important victory.”
The horse will rest at the pavilion throughout the sale, but will be brought down the street to the Canfield Casino the night of August 9, where the Fasig-Tipton crew will auction it off at the annual TRF Fundraiser. The affair begins at 6:30 p.m. and tickets may be purchased by clicking here.