Dazzling New Grade Two Winner for American Pharoah

Exciting filly Sweet Melania (2f American Pharoah x Sweet N Discreet, by Discreet Cat) moved to the lead on the backstretch and then charged away down the running to post a five and a half length victory in the $200,000 Grade II JPMorgan Chase Jessamine Stakes for 2-year-old fillies on turf at Keeneland on Wednesday.

The victory, by the largest margin in the history of the race, earned the Todd Pletcher trained Sweet Melania a fees-paid berth into the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf to be contested at a mile on Nov. 1 at Santa Anita.

“The way she broke today I knew she was going to be there. In the first turn, I had Florent (Geroux on Jezebel’s Kitten) trail me, and she (Sweet Melania) was a little keen,” said winning rider Jose Ortiz.

“As soon as I completely got the lead, she relaxed well and I cruised to the quarter pole. When I asked her to go, she switched leads and gave me a great turn of foot.”

A $600,000 Keeneland September purchase raced by Robert and Lawana Low, she has the overall record of two wins and three placings from just five starts and has already won over $200,000 in prizemoney.

Sweet Melania is the second winner from stakes-winner Sweet N Discreet, a sibling to Grade II winners Travelin Man and Discreet Dancer.

She is the fourth first crop stakes-winner for American Pharoah joining Maven, Four Wheel Drive and Another Miracle.

With four stakes-winners from just 48 runners, American Pharoah is already running at 8% stakes-winners to runners and will have yearlings at the Australasian sales in 2020.

He is currently at Coolmore Australia for a third season this spring at a fee of $66,000.