American Pharoah’s Danon Pharaoh Joins Road to Kentucky Derby

Danon Pharaoh (3c American Pharoah x Crisp, by El Corredor) secured his first stakes victory on Wednesday in the Listed Japan Dirt Derby over 1 ¼ miles, upsetting American Pharoah’s previously undefeated race favorite Café Pharoah.

Racing close behind the pacesetting Daimei Corrida, Danon Pharaoh and Café Pharoah matched strides for much of the race but as the favorite faded, Danon Pharaoh entered a battle with the leader.

Daimei Corrida worked hard to fight off his rival but Danon Pharaoh proved too good as he pulled away late in the race to win by 1 ¾ lengths. Also stakes placed in the Listed Huogo Championships in early May, the Yoshito Yahagi-trained colt is now the winner of three of his eight races with two other top two finishes.

With Danon Pharaoh winning 40 points on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby, American Pharoah now has the top two ranked horses on that leaderboard with Café Pharoah amassing 70 points with his earlier victories.

Racing for Danon Co., the colt was sold for $1.6 million at the JRA Select Yearling and Foal Sale in 2018 from breeder Northern Farm. The colt’s dam Crisp was sold carrying the colt in 2016 at the Keeneland November Breeding Sale and is one of three foals for the Grade I-winning mare.

A half-sister to Listed winning Deer Valley, Crisp comes from the family of Grade I winners Stay Thirsty, Tamarkuz, and Without Parole among the 22 stakes winners under Danon Pharaoh’s first four dams.

Last year’s Champion Freshman Sire, Triple Crown hero American Pharoah has sired eight stakes winners, 19 stakes horses, and 41 winners in seven countries from his first crop!