Nicest Leads Home 1st-3rd Finish for American Pharoah
The blueblooded Nicest (2f American Pharoah x Chicquita, by Montjeu) started off her career on the right note Thursday at Leopardstown with a determined win over a mile on debut.
Trained by Donnacha O’Brien, the Coolmore homebred raced in the center of the field on the rail as fellow American Pharoah daughter Willow (2f American Pharoah x Peeping Fawn, by Danehill) set the pace. With Gavin Ryan aboard, Nicest showed an outstanding turn of foot inside the final two furlongs to weave her way through the field and confront the leaders in the final furlong.
Sticking her head in front in the final sixteenth of a mile, Nicest led home a first-third finish for her sire in the Michael Tabor silks with Willow leading the field until the final furlong.
The second foal out of Group I Irish Oaks winner and €6,000,000 purchase Chicquita, Nicest is a half-sister to the Group III-placed Secret Thoughts.
From one of the most active top families in the stud book right now, Chicquita is a half-sister to Group I winner and nine-time Group I-placed Magic Wand and Group III-placed Je Ne Regretterien. Out of Listed winner Prudenzia, she is a three-quarter sister in blood to Prudenzia’s Group III winning half-sister Pacifique with Prudenzia also a half-sister to Listed Lingfield Derby Trial winner English King.
Quickly proving to be a leading international sire, Nicest is the 43rd winner in seven different countries for last year’s Champion Freshman Sire with American Pharoah currently leading the Second Crop Sire table by stakes winners and runners.