Ram Opens Derby Card With Win For Pharoah

American Pharoah’s Ram (3c American Pharoah x Miner’s Secret, by Mineshaft) kicked off Grade I Kentucky Derby day in style at Churchill Downs Saturday with a 3 1/2 length Allowance win in the first race on the card.

Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, the chestnut colt was settled a few lengths off the leader under Irad Ortiz Jr. behind the group dueling for second. With no hole opening in front of him around the turn, Ram circled them instead to put himself in prime position in the stretch.

Ram started flying as soon as he was clear of all but the leader and as they raced past the final furlong marker, even that runner was behind him. In the final sixteenth, Ram was all on his own as he pulled away by 3 ½ lengths with the third placed horse 2 ¾ lengths behind the runner-up.

It was the second straight victory for the Christina Baker and William Mack-owned colt, who broke his maiden by two lengths last out.

Bred by Michael Edward Connelly, Ram was a $375,000 Keeneland September Yearling and is a half-brother to multiple Grade II winner Coal Front, stakes winner and Grade II-placed Conquest Titan, and stakes placed Laafy. Their dam Miner’s Secret is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Woodlander and stakes winner Admiral with the mare’s full sister Miss Ocean City the dam of Grade II winner Azar.

It’s another year atop the leaderboard for American Pharoah with his six stakes winners, three graded stakes horses, and two Grade I performers in 2021 the best among all North American and European third crop stallions.