Japanese Debut Winner For American Pharoah
American Pharoah registered his second Japanese winner and 21st winner overall on Saturday in Japan when Nile River (2c American Pharoah x Jeweliana, by Smart Strike) won on debut at Toyko Racecourse over a mile on dirt.
The powerful bay colt was in midpack for much of the race but flew down the stretch to make up many lengths on the leader and collar him inside the final furlong. With jockey Christophe Soumillion riding confidently aboard the colt for trainer Hideaki Fujiwara, Nile River won easily by half a length.
Bred by Rosedown Racing Stable, Nile River was sold for $235,000 as a yearling. The colt then headed to the 2-year-old sales where Katsumi Yoshida purchased him from the Top Line Sales consignment for $775,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Florida Select 2-Year-Olds in Training sale earlier this year with Nile River racing for Yukio Baba.
Nile River is the second foal out of his dam, Jeweliana, who is out of Grade II winner Roshani and from the family of Grade I winners Data Link and Hymn Book. The mare has an American Pharoah yearling filly and was bred to his studmate Mendelssohn this term.
Outstanding Triple Crown winner and talented young sire American Pharoah is the leading first crop sire with 21 winners, led by Grade II Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner Four Wheel Drive and three other stakes winners with nine stakes horses overall.