Florida Senate - 2016                             (NP)    SR 682
       
       
        
       By Senator Hukill
       
       
       
       
       
       8-00355B-16                                            2016682__
    1                          Senate Resolution                        
    2         A resolution congratulating American Pharoah’s Florida
    3         trainers, J.B. McKathan and Kevin McKathan, on
    4         American Pharoah’s victories in the 2015 Triple Crown
    5         of Thoroughbred Racing.
    6  
    7         WHEREAS, a horse must win the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness
    8  Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes in order to achieve the Triple
    9  Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, regarded as the greatest
   10  accomplishment that a racehorse can attain, and
   11         WHEREAS, American Pharoah, owned by Ahmed Zayat of Teaneck,
   12  New Jersey, is the first horse since Florida’s Affirmed in 1978
   13  to win the Triple Crown, thus becoming the 12th Thoroughbred to
   14  accomplish that feat, and
   15         WHEREAS, American Pharoah was trained by Bob Baffert, and
   16         WHEREAS, jockey Victor Espinoza successfully rode American
   17  Pharoah in each of the three races leading to the Triple Crown,
   18  and
   19         WHEREAS, American Pharoah comes from the Florida bloodlines
   20  of champions Unbridled and Tri Jet and is a descendant of 1973
   21  Triple Crown winner Secretariat, and
   22         WHEREAS, brothers J.B. McKathan and Kevin McKathan are
   23  partners in the McKathan Brothers Training Center in Citra,
   24  where J.B. provided early schooling for the colt American
   25  Pharoah, and
   26         WHEREAS, the McKathan brothers have been raising and
   27  training racehorses for decades, bringing up several Kentucky
   28  Derby winners, including back-to-back championships for the
   29  trainers in 1997 and 1998, and
   30         WHEREAS, training horses requires dedication, strength, and
   31  patience, and the McKathan brothers are widely known for their
   32  hard work and devotion to this endeavor, and
   33         WHEREAS, the McKathan brothers’ success comes nearly four
   34  decades after the last triumph of this level occurred with
   35  Affirmed, also a champion from Marion County, and
   36         WHEREAS, the Florida Senate commends the McKathan brothers
   37  for their work, which ensures that Marion County remains one of
   38  the prime areas for raising some of the best racehorses in the
   39  sport, NOW, THEREFORE,
   40  
   41  Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:
   42  
   43         That J.B. McKathan and Kevin McKathan, American Pharoah’s
   44  Florida trainers, are congratulated on American Pharoah’s
   45  victories in the 2015 Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing.
   46         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution, with
   47  the Seal of the Senate affixed, be presented to J.B. McKathan
   48  and Kevin McKathan as a tangible token of the sentiments of the
   49  Florida Senate for their part in this historic event.