American Pharoah

At this time of year, when we're just weeks away from the GI Kentucky Derby, any 3-year-old colt who catches the eye requires a second look and perhaps a little Derby dreaming. Coolmore America's American Pharoah, who won the Derby himself a decade ago this May, had three sophomore colts in the news last weekend. First up was Luxor Cafe, whose fourth consecutive win last Saturday at Nakayama in Japan did more than catch the eye. Do yourself a favor and watch him quicken off the turn and distance his...

A week after we saluted the impact of his daughters on the GI Kentucky Derby trail, suddenly Tapit might also have found a colt to redress the one glaring omission on his resume. At the same time, the emergence of Sandman also contributes to a remarkable reciprocation by a still more venerable distaff influence. Tapit mares having produced American Promise, Tiztastic and Final Gambit across consecutive weekends, Distorted Humor is plainly not to be outdone. Both the big winners last Saturday were out of daughters of the WinStar legend; moreover...

HOT SPRINGS, Ark--Clever Again (c, 3, American Pharoah--Flattering {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}), coming off a 3 1/4-length maiden score, made the jump to stakes company with aplomb Sunday, going wire-to-wire to win the Hot Springs Stakes at Oaklawn Park. The 6-5 shot set fractions of :23.76 and :46.98 with even-money favorite Gaming (Game Winner) tracking in second. Clever Again opened up on the final turn and sailed clear to an easy four-length victory, completing the mile in 1:37.13. It was jockey Jose Ortiz's fifth win in two days of racing...

Bob Baffert has found himself in a familiar position as he once again brings a well-met runner into Saturday's GI Arkansas Derby with all the buzz behind him, this time in the form of 'TDN Rising Star' Cornucopian (Into Mischief), who has been made the 7-5 morning line favorite from the nine hole. Fresh off an unveiling which garnered the stamp of approval from the TDN, and stopped the clock in a six-furlong maiden special in an eye-catching 1:09.02--the fastest by a 3-year-old in Oaklawn history--the son of Into Mischief...

St. Patrick's Day (Pioneerof the Nile), the full-brother to Triple Crown winner and Coolmore stallion American Pharoah, has been re-acquired by his breeder Summer Wind Farm, the farm announced via social media Tuesday. Having previously stood at stud at Florida's Journeyman Stud, the 10-year-old stallion was entered in this year's Keeneland January Sale but was withdrawn. "With St Patrick's Day's arrival to the farm earlier this winter, Jane also completed her own very special set of nine horses," the post reads. "She now owns all the offspring of Littleprincessemma (Yankee...

11th-Hanshin, Coral S.-Listed, ¥45,970,000 ($308,735), 4yo/up, 1400m, 1:24.2, ft. ADVANCE PHAROAH (h, 5, American Pharoah--Fair Huntress, by Tiznow) became the sixth Japanese stakes winner for his sire with a 28-1 surprise. Ridden for speed from gate three, the $140,000 Keeneland September yearling graduate took them along under a nice hold and maintained a narrow advantage over the stalking T M Listed (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) into the turn. Clinging to the lead with his year-younger rival breathing down his neck, Advance Pharoah led into the final 200 meters and refused to...

3rd-Santa Anita, $65,500, Msw, 3-14, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:43.94, ft, 1 1/4 lengths. VOLDEMORT (c, 3, Good Magic--Beauty Buzz, by Bernardini) couldn't reel in 'TDN Rising Star' Tiz Secure (Maximum Security) in their mutual unveiling Feb. 22, but the 8-5 favorite more than got the job done here with a workman-like effort on the front end. Quickly to the front to control the pace, he came under pressure after the half in :45.78 and tried to give the field the slip entering the second bend. On a clear lead, but...

1st-Oaklawn, $110,000, Msw, 2-23, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:43.48, ft, 3 1/4 lengths. CLEVER AGAIN (c, 3, American Pharoah--Flattering {Ire} {GSW-Ire, SP-Eng}, by Galileo {Ire}) finished runner up in his debut going 4 1/2 panels at Keeneland last April and was benched for the remainder of the season. Marking his return while stretched past a mile for the first time, the 2-1 favorite took control from the onset, led at every call and was 3 1/4-lengths clear of Shepherd (Laoban) at the wire. A full-sister to English and Irish champion Love...

We're inside the 13-week mark to the GI Kentucky Derby with no seismic changes to the running order at this early stage of the season. The rankings are fairly evenly distributed among contenders based on both coasts and in Kentucky, Arkansas and Louisiana. 1) FIRST RESORT (c, Uncle Mo-Fair Maiden, by Street Boss). O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Eoin G. Harty. Lifetime record GSW, 4-2-1-0, $338,671. Last start: WON Nov. 30 GII Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes. First Resort's 6-1 win in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes Nov. 30 rated as the most visually...

5th-FG, $58K, Msw, 3yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 4:15 p.m. ET. Whisper Hill homebred STRAIGHT FORWARD (American Pharoah) makes her first start for Mandy Pope and trainer Steve Asmussen. The filly's dam, Aloof (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), was acquired by the farm at the 2014 Keeneland November Sale for a cool $3.9 million. Herself out of English Group 1 winner Airwave (GB) (Air Express {Ire}), Aloof is a half-sister to the dam of full-siblings MG1SW Churchill (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and G1SW Clemmie. Set for her unveiling is another homebred, Good Going (Mendelssohn),...

The biggest surprise of the two-and-a-half hour livestream which revealed Resolute Racing's mating plans for 2025 was that Puca will be bred to Frankel (GB) on Southern Hemisphere time. That was only one of the revelations as John Stewart--accompanied by Coolmore's Adrian Wallace, Resolute Racing's Director of Breeding and Bloodstock Chelsey Stone, farm manager Noel Murphy, and general manager Gavin O'Connor--discussed the 2025 matings for his 41 mares in the livestream. Several stallions will receive multiple mares; Resolute will send four mares to Justify, three to American Pharoah, two to...

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Chukyo and Nakayama Racecourses: Saturday, January 25, 2025 3rd-CKO, ¥11,850,000 ($76k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1400m BLUE AROMA (f, 3, American Pharoah--Comical, by Into Mischief) is the first foal from her dam, winner of the 2019 GIII Schuylerville Stakes, second in the...