Cordon Rouge Another Impressive Winner For American Pharoah

The U.S-bred Cordon Rouge (3f American Pharoah x Champagne Room, by Broken Vow) was an impressive maiden winner for American Pharoah at Chukyo in Japan Saturday with a four length victory against males.

Shooting out of the gate among the best of the field in the 1 1/8 mile dirt race, she took command with her ears pricked. The filly was joined by only one other on the front end for much of the race and by the time they turned into the stretch, she was all alone with jockey Damien Lane just urging her home with his hands.

The second-place horse was a further seven lengths ahead of the field with only four horses within 15 lengths of her in the end.

It was the second start for Cordon Rouge, who raced for Sunday Racing Co and was bred by Northern Farm.

Cordon Rouge is out of the 2016 Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Champagne Room, who is one of two stakes performers for her dam Lucky to Be Me. That mare is also the dam of the Group III-placed Fidele and two other winners in addition to Champagne Room.

Champagne Room also visited American Pharoah’s fellow Triple Crown winner Justify in his first year at stud and foaled a colt in 2020.

American Pharoah’s international success is often seen in Japan with the champion sire having 22 winners from 29 runners in the country, led by his dual Group I winner Café Pharoah.