The first runner sired by Triple Crown winner American Pharoah could take to the track at Dundalk Friday. Aidan O’Brien has Horus Bird among a handful of his entries in the opener, a five-furlong maiden on the Polytrack.
[Update: Horus Bird, like the rest of the O’Brien deputation, was taken out Thursday at the final declarations stage. He was subsequently renamed Monarch of Egypt.]
Bred by Ran Jan Racing in Kentucky, Horus Bird was produced by the Group 2-winning Galileo mare Up, runner-up in the 2012 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (French 1000 Guineas) (G1) and a half-sister to multiple Group 1 hero and sire Dutch Art. The March 31 foal was purchased for $750,000 as a Keeneland September yearling. His buyers were listed as Coolmore’s M.V. Magnier and Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm, but according to the published entries, Brant is his owner. Horus Bird is engaged in the 2020 Derby (G1) at Epsom.
Even before Horus Bird popped up in the Dundalk entries, an update on the American Pharoah juveniles was in order. Since our first two installments over the winter – American Pharoah’s first crop turns two: the names so far and American Pharoah’s first crop: Wish Way works bullet; next batch of named two-year-olds – more have been named, several have gone through the sales ring, and a few others have posted works.
A.P. Pharoah, the half-brother to Moreno described in the February 22 story, has recorded quarter-mile moves at Golden Gate Fields the past two Saturdays. After clocking :25.00 on the Tapeta March 23, he went in :26.80 on March 30.
Feeling Funny, the filly out of a stakes-winning full sister to Jimmy Creed listed in the December 31 piece, has worked three times for trainer Mark Casse. Based at his Casse Training Center, she zipped a pair of three-furlong bullets from the gate – in :35.80 March 7 and :35.40 March 14 – and covered a half-mile in :48.80 March 29.
Lady Delaware, the Hootenanny half included in the first story under her original name I ‘m American Made, sped three-eighths in a bullet :36.40 from the gate March 19 at Keeneland and came back March 28 to clock :35.20.
Pharoah Lady, also featured in the initial story, turned in her first recorded work March 28. Currently at Pegasus Training Center near Seattle, she breezed two furlongs in a bullet :25.20 over the Polytrack training track.
Wish Way, the filly out of champion Judy the Beauty whose first work was highlighted February 22, recorded two more moves on the Turfway Polytrack. The Wesley Ward homebred negotiated a quarter-mile from the gate in :25.40 March 8 and got up to three-eighths in :36.60 March 15.
Note that two others profiled in the first story have been renamed. The colt out of Mighty Renee, initially named Comeback, is now American Theorem, and the colt out of Schiaparelli, originally Pharelli, is now American Phenom.
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Now on to more named juveniles, with birthdays, pedigree notes, and sales history:
AMERICAN CODE: Bay colt (foaled April 9) out of Grade 1-winning sprinter Harmony Lodge, who is also responsible for Grade 3 victor Stratford Hill and stakes-placed Armistice Day. Dam is herself a Hennessy half-sister to Grade 2-winning millionaire Graeme Hall and Grade 3 vixen Win McCool, from the immediate family of last year’s Arkansas Derby (G1) hero Magnum Moon and current San Vicente (G2) scorer Sparky Ville. Sold at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale to Byerley Racing for $350,000.
DALAYA: Bay filly (March 24) is the first foal from the multiple French stakes-placed Dalayna by Anabaa. Dam is a full sister to Group 3 winner Daltaya, who produced French Group 1-winning highweight Dalkala, from the immediate family of multiple champion Daylami and European Horse of the Year Dalakhani. Like so many of her relatives, The Aga Khan homebred has joined trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre in France.
FIRST GRADE GIRL: Dark bay filly (March 27) is the first foal from Light the City, a stakes-winning daughter of Street Sense who was runner-up in the 2015 Las Virgenes (G1) and Santa Ysabel (G3). Led out unsold for $525,000 after failing to reach her reserve (RNA) at Keeneland September.
FOUR WHEEL DRIVE: Bay colt (March 3) is out of the stakes-winning More Than Ready mare Funfair, from the further family of millionaire Dynever and 2009 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile scorer Furthest Land. The $525,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling purchase by Hartley/De Renzo was just named after RNA’ing for $825,000 at Fasig-Tipton’s Gulfstream Sale.
IRISH PHARAOH: Chestnut filly (January 19) out of J Z Now, by Tiznow. Dam hails from the same female line as American Pharoah’s late sire, Pioneerof the Nile. RNA for $180,000 as a Keeneland January yearling later sold to Donegal Racing for $260,000 at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga last August. (If this name sounds familiar, you might be thinking of the younger full brother to American Pharoah, first named Irish Pharaoh until his private sale to Coolmore, when he became St Patrick’s Day.)
MONARCH OF EGYPT (formerly HORUS BIRD): Bay colt (March 31) was exported to Ireland as a yearling. Details above in light of his entry at Dundalk Friday.
RIDWAAN: Bay colt (May 10) out of European co-highweight Ridasiyna by Motivator, heroine of the 2012 Prix de l’Opera (G1) and fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1). According to France Galop, the Aga Khan homebred is with his dam’s trainer, Mikel Delzangles.
RIVER GIRL: Bay filly (March 31) is the second foal from the Malibu Moon mare Moon River Gal. Dam is a half-sister to Grade 3 scorer Sweet Hope, second in the 2008 Test S. (G1).
ROYAL ACT: Bay colt (April 8) out of True Feelings, runner-up in the 2011 Schuylerville (G3). The Latent Heat mare comes from the immediate family of champion Wait a While, with two-time Eclipse Award honoree and successful sire Lookin at Lucky also prominent on her page. Purchased by Mayberry Farm for $500,000 as a yearling at Keeneland September.
SOUL MERIT: Dark bay colt (May 1) was exported to South Korea as a yearling. Dam Placentia is a Bernardini half-sister to Carriage Trail, winner of the 2008 Spinster (G1) in track-record time on Keeneland’s old Polytrack. Sold to Triple Crown for $135,000 at Keeneland September.
SOUTH SAQQARA: Chestnut colt (February 20) is a half-brother to Acapulco, star of the 2015 Queen Mary (G2) at Royal Ascot and second in the Nunthorpe (G1) when tackling older sprinters as a juvenile. Out of multiple stakes victress Global Finance by End Sweep. Coolmore’s M.V. Magnier scooped him up for $300,000 as a Saratoga yearling, and like Horus Bird is with O’Brien at Ballydoyle.
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We’ll relate pedigree details on American Pharoah’s recent sellers once they’ve been named. In the meantime, here are his graduates of OBS March and Fasig-Tipton’s Gulfstream Sale:
As far as upcoming auctions are concerned, American Pharoah has a handful at Keeneland’s revived two-year-olds in training sale April 9:
And even more “Pharoahs” are set to tour the ring over the April 23-26 OBS Spring Sale:
I did not realize that the Aga Khan had sent a mare to be covered by American Pharoah. That is especially cool.
I was not even aware that he sent mares to the US to be covered. I have not encountered one before.