American Pharoah ended a 37-year drought by winning the Belmont Stakes on Saturday afternoon and thus becoming thoroughbred racing's first Triple Crown winner since 1978.

In front of 90,000 cheering fans, the three-year-old colt was on the front from the start and fought off all seven challengers in the 1 1/2-mile test. The winning time was 2:26.65, 5 1/2 lengths better than runner-up Frosted. Keen Ice was third, followed by Mubtaahij, Frammento, Madefromlucky, Tale of Verve and Materiality.

Trainer Bob Baffert had missed Triple Crown bids on three previous attempts -- Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998), and War Emblem (2002) -- and jockey Victor Espinoza was 0 for 2 in his Triple Crown attempts, including just missing in 2014 with California Chrome.

American Pharoah becomes thoroughbred racing's 12th Triple Crown winner, and first since Affirmed in 1978. He joins famous names like Secretariat, Citation and Seattle Slew in that exclusive club by previously winning the Kentucky Derby on May 2 and the Preakness on May 16.

Moments after American Pharoah crossed the wire, his name and jockey's silks were flashed up on a sign in the Belmont infield with the other 11 Triple Crown winners.