Phast Pharoah First Winner of Year for American Pharoah
It didn’t take long for Triple Crown winner American Pharoah to get his first winner of 2020 with Phast Pharoah (3c American Pharoah x Loudly, by War Front) breaking his maiden at Santa Anita on Saturday.
Racing over 5 ½ furlongs on turf, Phast Pharoah was content to sit in third under Joel Rosario while a duel played out in front of them. Rosario swung Phast Pharoah wide around the leaders as they barreled into the stretch and he was away and running. Phast Pharoah took the lead in the final furlong to win by 1 ½ lengths as the favorite.
Racing for Darryl Hall, Karen Harenski, Marc Lantzman, Tom Mansor, Karen Norton, Mike Pancer, John Poole, and Gerard Verkuylen, Phast Pharoah was bred by China Horse Club International. The colt is the first foal out of the winning War Front mare Loudly, a half-sister to stakes winners The Lady’s Groom and Marina De Chavon.
American Pharoah earned his Champion Freshman sire title earlier this week, ending 2019 with 27 winners, 11 stakes horses and four stakes winners including Grade II Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner Four Wheel Drive.
The stallion is already off to a great start in 2020 with Prince Of Pharoahs becoming his 12th stakes horse when finishing second in the Listed Jerome Stakes on New Year’s Day.