When American Pharoah entered trainer Bob Baffert’s barn in the summer of 2014, he had already cultivated a reputation as a future superstar in his early training. But it’s unlikely anyone realized how big of a superstar he would become.

There may not be a Triple Crown on the line June 11 at Belmont Park, but a budding rivalry between the top two 3-year-old colts in the country is probably the next-best option.