$1.2-million Elfin Queen Newest Winner for American Pharoah

The return of Irish racing saw American Pharoah’s $1.2 million Elfin Queen (3f American Pharoah x Pretty ‘N Smart, by Beau Genius) quickly find the winner’s enclosure at Naas on Monday when she romped home to break her maiden.

Racing prominently in the one-mile turf race, the filly tracked the leaders on the rail under Seamie Heffernan. Biding her time, Elfin Queen waited for a hole to open as they swung into the straight and quickly confronted the leaders when she was given the opportunity two and a half furlongs out.

It took the filly some time to click into another gear once she took the lead but the race was quickly over when she did. In the final furlong, Elfin Queen extended her advantage to 6½ lengths to give the Coolmore partners, Aidan O’Brien and Seamie Heffernan a double on the card.

The co-most expensive filly sold from American Pharoah’s first crop when bringing $1.2 million at the Keeneland September Sale in 2018, the blueblooded Turner Breeders-bred Elfin Queen is one of nine winners from nine to race out of Pretty N’ Smart. The filly is a half-sister to three graded stakes winners including American Pharoah’s Grade I-winning studmate Cupid.

A Grade II-placed half-sister to Grade III winner Hostess, Pretty N’ Smart is also the granddam of Grade III winning Heart Ashley’s Group III winner Fiano Romano and Group-III placed Ameristralla by Fastnet Rock and Listed-placed Quaver out of her Tale of the Cat daughter Skipper Tale.

Pretty ‘N Smart returned to Triple Crown hero and Champion Freshman Sire American Pharoah last year.

The sire of 40 winners, American Pharoah is the sire of seven stakes winners and 18 stakes horses led by Grade II winners Four Wheel Drive and Sweet Melania.