First US Winner for American Pharoah

Triple Crown hero American Pharoah sired his first North American winner when the Wesley Ward trained colt Maven (2c American Pharoah x Richies Party Girl, by Any Given Saturday) scored at Aqueduct on Friday.

Maven was sent out favourite for the four and a half furlong maiden and scored a stylish half length win to become the second winner for his sire, whose previous success came in Ireland with the Aidan O’Brien trained colt Monarch of Egypt.

Ward plans to send Maven across to the UK for the Group II Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot June 20 for his next start.

"This guy will be better on the grass. The mare was a multiple stakes winner on the grass and I'll shoot for the Norfolk with him and hopefully I can go over there and do some good things there as well with him,"said Ward, who also saddled American Pharoah filly Tesorina to finish third at Aqueduct earlier this week as the first American Pharoah starter in the United States.

American Pharoah now has two winners and a place-getter from his first three starters.

"All the ones I have can run," Ward said of the six American Pharaoh 2-year-olds in his barn. "We'll see how much they can run, but they can run. It's a good testament to the sire. I'm really happy for everyone at Coolmore and I hope this guy keeps rolling out one winner after another."

Bred and retained to race by Richard Ravin and Wesley Ward, Maven is the first foal of stakes-winner Richies Party Girl, who was also trained by Ward.