Forbidden Kingdom Eyes Derby Trail After San Vicente Win
Second in his graded stakes debut last out, Forbidden Kingdom (3c American Pharoah x Just Louise, by Five Star Day) went one better with a victory in the Grade II San Vicente Stakes on Saturday.
Racing for MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm, the Richard Mandella trainee sprinted to the lead from his inside post and cruised with the rest of the field racing over a length behind. Three Bob Baffert stablemates lined up behind him around the turn and made their moves but Forbidden Kingdom rebuffed their advances.
He started pulling away again near the line to win by 2 ¼ lengths.
“He’s as quick as they come,” said trainer Richard Mandella. We’ll have to try two turns down the road here. He’s gotten better about everything. He was so professional today, everything went well.”
Now the winner of two of his four starts, Forbidden Kingdom is likely to jump on the Triple Crown trail from here with Mandella saying the Grade II San Felipe Stakes – a 50 point Road to the Kentucky Derby race – is likely next.
Forbidden Kingdom was purchased from Paramount Sales by his racing owners for $300,000 at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase.
The colt hails from the Springhouse Farm breeding program and is out of Grade III winner Just Louise. That mare is a half-sister to Grade II winner Sara Louise, who produced Grade II-placed Sara Street.
Just Louise visited four-time Grade I winner Tiz The Law last year.
Forbidden Kingdom is American Pharoah’s 24th stakes winner and 13th graded stakes winner. He is the best of all Northern Hemisphere fourth crop sires in both those categories and by number of Grade I performers with 11 in the category as well.