Another Grade 1 Winner for American Pharoah

American Pharoah  notched his third top-flight winner, and first on dirt, when his son Café Pharoah claimed the Feb. 21 February Stakes (G1) at Tokyo Racecourse. The Kentucky-bred 4-year-old was adding to his two grade 3 victories, having won the Unicorn Stakes and the Sirius Stakes last year.

Jockey Christophe Lemaire tracked the leaders aboard the powerfully-built bay, and having hit the front entering the final furlong, Café Pharoah ran on strongly to deny the fast-finishing Air Spinel, a son of King Kamehameha, by three-quarters of a length.

In landing the top-level prize, which is run over a mile, Café Pharoah followed in the footsteps of Mozu Ascot, the son of Frankel who claimed last year's renewal before he retired to Arrow Stud in Japan.

Bred by Paul Pompa Jr., Café Pharoah is the fifth foal produced by Mary's Follies, who won the Mrs. Revere Stakes (G2T) during her own racing career.

The daughter of More Than Ready  has bred three graded winners, as the dam's first foal is Night Prowler, a son of Giant's Causeway who landed the Transylvania Stakes (G3T), while her fourth is Regal Glory, who dead-heated with Varenka in the Lake Placid Stakes (G2T).

Café Pharoah's grade 1 breakthrough is not the first time that this family has been in the headlines in 2021, as Regal Glory was one of the joint top lots at the recent Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale when bought by Peter Brant's White Birch Farm for $925,000. The 5-year-old daughter of Animal Kingdom is due to remain in training.

Mary's Follies herself also changed hands as part of the Pompa dispersal, which was conducted by Lane's End Farm, with BBA Ireland signing the ticket at $500,000.

Café Pharoah was purchased for current connections, owner Koichi Nishikawa and trainer Noriyuki Hori, by Emmanuel de Seroux's Narvick International at $475,000 when offered by Eddie Woods at the 2019 Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale.

Café Pharoah was the second-most expensive lot by American Pharoah at the auction, behind only the $600,000 Merneith, who won the Santa Monica Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park earlier in the month.

United States Triple Crown hero American Pharoah has sired 25 stakes performers, a record including nine graded winners and five listed scorers.

A resident at Coolmore's Ashford Stud in Kentucky, American Pharoah's burgeoning stud CV has a decidedly international feel.

His other group/grade 1 winners have come in the U.S, courtesy of Harvey's Lil Goil's victory in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes Presented by Dixiana (G1T) at Keeneland, and in France, where classic contender Van Gogh won the Criterium International (G1) for Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore partners.

Other notable performers by American Pharoah, who is standing the current breeding season at $100,000, include Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2T) scorer Four Wheel Drive, who shares his damsire More Than Ready with Café Pharoah, Joseph O'Brien's Bet365 Park Hill Stakes (G2) victress Pista, JPMrogan Chase Jessamine Stakes (G2T) winner Sweet Melania, and the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes (G1) runner-up Monarch of Egypt.