Kittansett Leads Two New Year’s Eve Winners for American Pharoah

Kittansett (3c American Pharoah x Bsharpsonata, by Pulpit) led a two-win day for American Pharoah runners on New Year’s Eve to end the stallion’s year on a high note.

Only hours after Wasp (3f American Pharoah x Visions of Annette, by Distorted Humor) registered her second win, Kittansett became his sire’s newest winner with a Maiden Special Weight victory at Fair Grounds.

Racing over 1 1/16 miles on a sloppy track for OXO Equine, the Brad Cox trainee went straight to the lead where he was joined for much of the race. Jockey Florent Geroux let Kittansett settle into an easy gallop down the backstretch before asking him for a bit more around the turn.

By the top of the stretch they had the lead and after a brief battle, Kittansett showed his true talent. In the final sixteenth, he coasted home under a hand ride by 5¼ lengths. His victory came only a few races after American Legend finished second for their sire early on the Fair Grounds card.

Consigned by breeder Sierra Farm at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Kittansett was purchased for $1.4 million by OXO Equine as the second most expensive American Pharoah offering of that sale.

Kittansett is one of five winners from five to race out of multiple Grade II winner and Grade I-placed Bsharpsonata. Purchased by Sierra Farm in foal to American Pharoah, Bsharpsonata is also the dam of Grade II-placed Vigilante, Grade III-placed Play It Loud, and stakes placed Mihrab.

The mare also had a filly by Uncle Mo in 2020.

Kittansett is bred on the same American Pharoah x A.P. Indy granddaughter cross as his stakes winner and Grade I-placed daughter Merneith and the stakes placed Simply Sovereign.