First 2021 Stakes-Winner for American Pharoah
Now back in North America following a fourth season at stud in Australia, American Pharoah started 2021 on a winning note when Kentucky Pharoah (3c American Pharoah x Strut The Course, by Strut The Stage) became his 13th stakes winner with a victory in the Dania Beach Stakes.
Returning to the races two weeks after breaking his maiden over the same Gulfstream Park turf course by 3¾ lengths, Kentucky Pharoah showed the step up in class was no trouble in the one mile race on turf.
Breaking from the two-hole, the Calumet homebred went straight to the lead from the break and raced over a length ahead of the rest of the field throughout.
With Julien Leparoux aboard, the colt powered clear to win by three lengths and has now won two of four starts.
“We really put it in Kentucky Pharoah’s hands whether he could come back in two weeks,” trainer Jack Sisterson told the Thoroughbred Daily News.
“He’s energetic. He was either going to breeze [Sunday] at Palm Meadows, and he probably would have breezed too quick, so why not run him instead.”
Kentucky Pharoah is the first foal out of Canadian champion and multiple graded stakes winner Strut The Course.
American Pharoah ended 2020 leading all Northern Hemisphere second crop sires by Group I winners, Group winners and stakes-winners with his star performers the Group I winners Harvey’s Lil Goil and Van Gogh, last year’s European Champion 2-Year-Old.
American Pharoah is the sire of 13 stakes winners and 25 stakes horses from his first two crops, with his first Australian bred runners competing here this season.
He has strong representation at the 2021 Magic Millions with 24 entries, click here to see them.
Pedigree highlights include:
Lot 61, a colt from US Group III winner Ashley’s Kitty (USA), a half-sister to Group I winning sire Cupid.
Lot 214, a half-sister to South African Group II winner Nafaayes from US Group III winner Decelerator (USA).
Lot 268, a cracking colt, the first foal of Group III winner Ennis Hill, a full sister to Group I placed stakes-winner Lake Geneva and this season’s exciting 2YO colt Acrobat, a debut winner of the $500,000 Inglis Nursery.
Lot 447, a filly from Group III winner Koonoomoo.
Lot 566, a half-sister to stakes-winner Miss Debutante from US Group II winner More Than Real (USA).
Lot 779, a filly from stakes-winner She’s a Fox, the full sister to Group I winner and Group I sire Foxwedge.