American Pharoah Half Brother Debuts at Santa Anita

A little over five years after the retirement of 2015 Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year American Pharoah , his half brother looks to maintain the family legacy of excellence.

Triple Tap, a homebred 3-year-old son of Tapit  out of the Yankee Gentleman mare Littleprincessemma, debuts against four rivals in the second race at Santa Anita Park March 13, a $61,000 maiden race for 3-year-olds and up at seven furlongs. He will be heavily favored against what seems a below-average group of rivals.

Besides his relation to American Pharoah, Triple Tap is related to three other black-type runners, including full sister Chasing Yesterday, winner of the 2018 Starlet Stakes (G1) at Los Alamitos Race Course. 

"We've taken our time with him and so far he has been working well," said Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who also trained American Pharaoh and Chasing Yesterday. "This race came up. I would have liked to have gone three-quarters—this one is seven-eighths—but at least we'll get an out into him. So far, I like what I see. He has been working with some nice horses and working right with them."

One of those breezes came in company with graded stakes winner and Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) prospect Medina Spirit. In their tandem drill Feb. 27, Triple Tap largely kept pace with Medina Spirit to complete six furlongs in 1:11 1/5. He followed that breeze with a five-furlong gate move in :59 in which he left his workmate Myopic 10-15 lengths behind.

Triple Tap's racing upside and pedigree have made him a subject of interest to more than fans.

"A lot of farms have been chasing him early," Baffert said.

The colt's appeal as a racing and stallion prospect is buoyed by American Pharoah's achievements as a sire. The third-crop stallion, who stands at Ashford Stud, has sired grade/group 1 winners Cafe Pharaoh, Harvey's Lil Goil, and Van Gogh.

Triple Tap is owned by his breeder, Jane Lyon's Summer Wind Equine. Summer Wind Farm also raced Chasing Yesterday, who shares more physical characteristics with Triple Tap than American Pharaoh, Baffert said. Chasing Yesterday and Triple Tap are chestnuts, just like Littleprincessemma, the 2015 Broodmare of the Year. American Pharoah is a bay.

Chasing Yesterday "was a nice filly. He is like a bigger, stronger type," Baffert said of Triple Tap. "I see him going further (around two turns). I think he's a very nice horse."

Of his four foes, only Eyes Open has previously hit the board in a maiden race in Southern California. She heads the opposition, along with Spendthrift Farm's Barraza, a son of Into Mischief  that was twice fourth in maiden races last year for Baffert.

"I wanted to run him two turns. It didn't fill," Baffert said of Triple Tap's stablemate. "He's actually doing really well, doing better. He was getting out, going too fast early, but he's doing better now. We'll give him another chance, see how he does."