Fans arrive at midnight to see American Pharoah in Haskell Invitational

Sorry Odell, but when it comes to diehard fans, it looks like another New Jersey-bred star might be giving you a run for your money. And this sports star is faster and even pays off too.

Causing all this new fan fuss is Triple Crown-winner American Pharoah who is set to run in the $1.75 million William Hill Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on Sunday.

According to NJ.com, railbirds hoping to get a glimpse of the champion thoroughbred  began lining up outside the front gate of the New Jersey track almost 18 hours before the horse even entered the stating gate:

Brick Township resident Steven Prosser was the first in line outside the main gate of the racetrack at midnight, nearly 18 hours before the scheduled post time for the main event.

This year's Haskell was be the 25^th Prosser attended, but he said he made sure to arrive extra early this year to reserve enough tables in the picnic area to accommodate a large group of family and friends.

"I love horse racing anyway, but it is monumental to get the chance to see a Triple Crown winner," Prosser said. "We might never get to see one again in our lifetime."

The gates to the parking lots were scheduled to open at 5 a.m., but they opened about 10 minutes early and seconds later there was already a long line of out of breath racing fans stretching from the general admission entrances.

At 9 a.m., there was a mad dash for the tables in the general admission picnic area, and in less than a minute all of the tables in the section closest to the track were accounted for.

Long line to get into #Haskell2015, #APPHaskell pic.twitter.com/Ki3quTLKpM

— jean mikle (@jeanmikle) August 2, 2015

So what's more memorable? A Triple Crown or The Catch?

Oddsmakers give AP 1-to-5 odds to win this Sunday but only give OBJ a 30-to-1 chance of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy on Super Bowl Sunday.

Take the horse.

American Pharoah will return to track at Haskell Invitational: Report

For those railbirds waiting for American Pharoah to come out of the gate again, here's news to put under your pork-pie hat. The history making horse officially has a return date and next up for the Triple Crown winner is the $1-million Haskell Invitational on Aug. 2 at Monmouth Park.

Trainer Bob Baffert confirmed Thursday that the first Triple Crown winner since 1978 will run in the 11/8-mile stakes for 3-year-olds on the New Jersey racetrack, according to the Daily Racing Form.

It will be American Pharoah's first race since he ran away from the Belmont Stakes field by 51/2 lengths on June 6.

"The Haskell is the first logical spot to bring him back," said Baffert. "We just wanted to make sure we were happy with the way he came out of the Belmont. That mile-and-a-half was pretty stiff, but he's doing well.''

The Haskell originally was the heavy favorite for Pharoah's comeback, but on June 18 owner-breeder Ahmed Zayat tweeted that Saratoga's 1 1/4-mile Travers Stakes on Aug. 29 was in contention.

Baffert has won the Haskell a record seven times, including in 2012 with Paynter, whom Zayat also owned. And Zayat, a New Jersey resident, said the Haskell "sentimentally" was his choice. 

"We're overjoyed," Monmouth Park president Bob Kulina told The Associated Press. "I want to thank Mr. Zayat and Bob for picking the Haskell.''

A 3-furlong run in 36 2/5 seconds Monday morning at Santa Anita convinced Baffert that Pharoah was ready to get back to the turf. It was his first timed workout since the Belmont.

"He worked like a champ,'' Baffert said. "He won't do any serious work until we get to Del Mar, but he's pretty tight right now and ready to go.''

There is speculation that the purse might be raised even higher to guarantee his participation.

Was that a collective "Aaaaayyy" from the Jersey Shore I just heard?

Race horse 'put down' in front of crowd causes uproar (GRAPHIC PHOTOS)

One of Britain’s top racehorses was shot in the head at a packed track and the moment was captured on these rarely publicized photos of a racehorse being put down.

After shattering his leg during a race, Wigmore Hall was shot behind a large temporary screen, put up on the track to prevent ­thousands of fans witnessing its final distressing moments.

The shocking photos have sparked a fresh debate about the sport.

The champion seven-year-old horse broke a leg and fell less than three furlongs from the end of a race at Doncaster in England last Saturday.

Afterwards, veterinary specialists said the decision to put a quick end to the animal's suffering was the right one and defended doing it at the track.  

RSPCA's equine consultant, David Muir, said: "I can't see that the vet has done anything wrong or the racecourse, either.

"Shooting a horse is probably the most humane and quick way that you could put a horse down." 

Animal rights group Animal Aid took the disturbing images.

"The racing industry should be ashamed of its track record," said group member Dene Stansall.

"Poor Wigmore Hall was one of a huge number of race horses who are destroyed each year."

Wigmore Hall earned more than $2 million in prize money for its owners, winning two of the sport's most prestigious grade one races.

Racehorse dies at Belmont while wearing nasal strip: Report

The first day after nasal strips were allowed to be worn by racehorses at Belmont Park, See the Music, a 3-year-old filly, collapsed and died of an apparent heart attack on the track.

The over-sized breathing aid has gotten a lot of attention in the past couple of weeks because of California Chrome’s run for the Triple Crown.

The nasal strips were approved jointly Monday by the New York Racing Association, the New York State Gaming Commission and the Jockey Club, allowing California Chrome to try for his sweep of the Triple Crown on June 7 in the Belmont Stakes.

On Wednesday, See the Music died.

California Chrome wore the nasal strips to victory in the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, but his connections were thinking of possibly skipping the Belmont if the colt wasn’t allowed to wear one in New York.

Prior to Monday’s approval, New York was the only racing jurisdiction that didn’t allow the strip to be worn through rule 4033.8 in the Gaming Commission: Only equipment specifically approved by the stewards shall be worn or carried by a jockey or a horse in a race.

See the Music’s body was sent to Cornell University, where a necropsy was performed.

“We are awaiting necropsy results,” said Lee Park, a spokesman for the gaming commission. 

“There is no reason to believe that wearing a nasal strip would contribute to a sudden death of a horse.”

The Gaming Commission’s medical director, Scott E. Palmer, cleared the way for the strips to be used in New York in a statement that read, “Equine nasal strips do not enhance equine performance nor do they pose a risk to equine health or safety and as such do not need to be regulated.”