Vinnie Roe Winner Pista 10th Stakes Winner for American Pharoah
The third winner for American Pharoah in a little over 24 hours, Pista (3f American Pharoah x Mohini, by Galileo) also became her sire’s 10th stakes winner on Thursday with a win in the Listed Vinnie Roe Stakes in Ireland.
Winning her second start in 10 days for trainer Joseph O’Brien, a stretch out to 1 ¾ miles against the boys proved to suit the Scott Heider-owned filly over the good turf. Racing a few paths off the rail into the first turn, Pista settled in midpack between horses. The filly was happy to relax under regular jockey Shane Crosse and had only one horse beat with about a mile left to run.
Switched to the outside of the field, Crosse provided his mount clear running room as they entered the final half mile and asked her to run when they straightened into the stretch. Showing the strong turn of foot that had seen her win her maiden by 6 ½ lengths, Pista made up over five lengths in the final furlong to cross the line half a length in front.
“She's improving all the time, she's still a bit green and I think there is more to come out of her," O'Brien's representative Brendan Powell told Irishhorseracing.com. “Her first run here wasn't bad, she just fell out of the stalls on very quick ground and made up ground towards the end of the race. In Galway she's done it nicely with more cut in the ground. The lads are saying that's just on the easy side of good today and probably a little bit of cut in the ground suits her. She's a classy looking filly looking at that today.”
Bred by Lynch Bages, Pista was a $675,000 Keeneland September Yearling purchase in 2018 and is the second stakes horse from two American Pharoah runners out of Galileo mares alongside Group I-placed Monarch of Egypt.
The 3-year-old filly is the fourth stakes horse out of a daughter of champion Denebola, who is also the granddam of Group I winner Senga. Denebola herself hails from a strong racemare and broodmare in Coup de Genie, whose descendants include Grade I winners Emollient, Bago, and Maxios with Pista’s third dam bluehen mare Coup de Folie.
Mohini returned to American Pharoah and foaled a Japanese-bred filly in 2018 who is now named Ishtar.
American Pharoah’s 10 stakes winners puts him well ahead of all North American second-crop sires by stakes winners with his 21 stakes horses and 15 graded stakes horses putting him ahead of all other Northern Hemisphere second-crop sires.