$2.2 Million American Pharoah Colt Tops Keeneland September Opener

An outstanding colt from the first crop of Triple Crown hero American Pharoah topped the opening session of the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale on Monday when fetching $2.2 million.

The star colt from stakes-winning Indian Charlie mare Kindle was bred by HnR Nothhaft Horse Racing LLC and consigned by Woods Edge Farm. He was bought by Godolphin with Sheikh Mohammed himself in attendance at Keeneland for the first time in 10 years.

“He was a really special horse,” said Peter O’Callaghan of Wood’s Edge Farm.

“He’s probably the best yearling we’ve ever had, so I hope (his success) proves to be the case on the race track. Just very grateful for Sheikh Mohammed to come here and buy him. When (Sheikh Mohammed) saw (this colt) today, his eyes lit up. I just had a feeling he was going to try hard to buy him.”

In the name of Cavalier Bloodstock, O’Callaghan purchased the colt as a weanling for $400,000 at the 2017 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

“It was the most I’d ever paid for a foal,” O’Callaghan said. “He was exceptional the day we bought him, and he just continued to get better and better. He was a tenacious physical specimen, but his temperament and his demeanor (were) almost as big.”

American Pharoah was the leading sire by aggregate at the conclusion of the first session with 12 yearlings selling for $6.335 million at an average $527,917.