So it was left to a record Preakness crowd to see the true majesty of Baffert's champion as he rumbled through a monsoon to win by seven lengths. American Pharoah left no doubts about his status as the pre-eminent 3-year-old of a gifted crop. Now the question is whether he can handle the war of attrition that will culminate with a Triple Crown shot on June 6 in the Belmont Stakes.
