American Theorem Much The Best in G1 Bing Crosby

American Theorem (5h American Pharoah x Mighty Renee, by Maria’s Mon) became the fourth Grade I winner of the year for leading sire American Pharoah on Saturday night with an easy win in the Grade I Bing Crosby.

Racing over six furlongs on the Del Mar dirt, American Theorem was the first out of the gate before happily taking back to race in midpack down the backstretch. Racing wide throughout, the gray used that to his advantage to go wide in the turn and circle the field as they raced toward the quarter pole.

At the top of the stretch, American Theorem had the lead and started racing away from the field. Jockey Joe Bravo dropped his whip soon after but it was soon proven that that’d make no difference in this race The horse continued to run away from the field with a late closing Get Her Number cutting the margin down to 1 ½ lengths late as Bravo hand rode the winner home with the rest of the group nearly six lengths behind.

“He just wanted to run,” Bravo said. “That’s why I went. He was real comfortable on the backside, moving easy. And then when we came to the turn I didn’t think I wanted to go six wide. But he just had his momentum up and we just kept on going. I got real nervous, though. I dropped my stick on the turn and that will make you nervous. But he didn’t need it.”

It was the second straight victory for American Theorem, who won the Grade II Triple Bend Stakes last out. The 5-year-old isn’t a stranger to Grade I company, finishing second to Eight Rings in the Grade I American Pharoah Stakes as a 2-year-old.

Trained by George Papaprodromou for Kretz Racing, American Theorem was bred by Sierra Farm out of the multiple stakes producing mare Mighty Renee. Mighty Renee also produced the Grade III winner Mighty Caroline, multiple stakes winner Cyclogenisis, stakes winner Renee’s Queen, and stakes-placed Viel Spass.

Mighty Renee has a juvenile Classic Empire half-brother to American Theorem named Captain Choochies who sold for $210,000 last year as a yearling and is working regularly in California. The mare also visited Tiz The Law last year.

American Pharaoh’s four Grade I winners in 2022 is better than any other North American stallion with only two above him among all Northern Hemisphere stallions. His Grade I winners have come in three different countries with three on dirt and one on turf.