Ima Pharoah Continues Hot Streak for American Pharoah
Ima Pharoah (3c American Pharoah x Im A Dixie Girl, by Dixie Union) became the 48th winner for American Pharoah on Saturday when breaking his maiden at Saratoga.
Running over seven furlongs on dirt, the Todd Pletcher trainee broke swiftly and briefly held the lead before settling into third under Irad Ortiz Jr. Making his run around the turn, Ima Pharoah came into the stretch three wide and quickly took command of the race.
Putting his head down in the final furlong, Ima Pharoah ran all the way to the line to win by 2 1/2 lengths.
A homebred for Charles Fipke, Ima Pharoah has never finished worse than second in five career starts and is the eighth winner in nine days for his sire.
One of six winners from eight to race out of Listed winning Im A Dixie Girl, the colt is a half-brother to dual-Grade I winner Mor Spirit and out of the family of Champion and $6 million mare Stellar Wind in addition to Grade I winner Great Hunter.
Last year’s Champion Freshman Sire and this year’s Second-Crop leader by stakes winners and horses, American Pharoah’s first crop includes nine stakes winners and 19 stakes horses led by Grade II winners Four Wheel Drive and Sweet Melania.