Tahoe Sunrise Secures First Stakes Victory in Shared Belief

Stakes placed in his second career start, Tahoe Sunrise (3c American Pharoah x Koodori Dawn, by Tale of the Cat) went even better at Del Mar on Sunday with a win in the Listed Shared Belief Stakes.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Tahoe Sunrise went straight to the lead in the one-mile dirt race and set a pressured lead with Clouseau close behind. He was able to put that one behind him in the turn and had a free lead until the final sixteenth.

That’s when stablemate Mr Fisk came running and forced Tahoe Sunrise to dig deep but in the end, Tahoe Sunrise was able to keep his nose even with the other runner and finish in a dead heat for first. Mo Town’s Smart Mo finished behind the pair in third.

“I told Victor (Espinoza) this horse is by American Pharoah, ride him like he’s American Pharoah. And he did,” Baffert said.

Now the winner of two of five starts with three other top three finishes, Tahoe Sunrise races for Michael Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman. The colt was purchased by his racing owners for $310,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale from Hartwell Farm.

Bred by Mr. and Mrs. David Garner, Tahoe Sunrise is out of a half-sister to Grade I winner Dance To Bristol, who produced the Grade III winner Rockefeller. The colt’s third dam is the multiple graded stakes winner Expressive Dance, who is also the dam of Grade I winner Chief Honcho and granddam of Group I winner Poet’s Voice among others.

Tahoe Sunrise was one of three winners for American Pharoah on Saturday and Sunday with the stallion having seven stakes winners and 16 stakes performers in 2023. That group includes a Grade I winner and four Grade I performers.