American Pharoah Arrives at Ashford
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
American Pharoah arrived at Coolmore's Ashford Stud Nov. 2.
Triple Crown winner American Pharoah arrived at Coolmore's Ashford Stud Nov. 2, ready to begin the next chapter of his historic career.
The unflappable 3-year-old strode calmly off a Brook Ledge horse van and strode easily past an assembled media throng to the Ashford stallion barn, where he will take up residence in the old stall of the late grade I winner and grade I producer Grand Slam. In winning the Triple Crown and going out a 6 1/2-length victor in the 1 1/4-mile Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) Oct. 31 at Keeneland in a track-record time of 2:00.07, American Pharoah became the first horse to complete what Breeders' Cup marketers termed the "Grand Slam."
NOVAK: American Pharoah Romps in BC Classic
American Pharoah will be the first Triple Crown winner to stand at stud since Affirmed was retired in 1979, and the first available to breeders since Seattle Slew died in 2002. A stud fee announcement is expected in the coming days.
The brilliant bay's sire, Pioneerof the Nile , will stand the 2016 season at WinStar Farm for $125,000. His grandsire, Empire Maker , has returned to Kentucky from Japan to stand at Gainesway Farm; his 2016 fee has not yet been announced.
"There's a lot of interest in him, which there should be," Coolmore's M.V. Magnier said of American Pharoah. "It's a massive thing for everybody to get a chance to breed to this horse now. He's an exceptional looker and he's an exceptional racehorse, to do what he did."
Bred in Kentucky by Zayat Stables out of the Yankee Gentleman mare Littleprincessemma and trained throughout his career by Hall of Fame horseman Bob Baffert, American Pharoah retires with a final record of nine wins and a second from 11 starts for earnings of $8,650,300. The Classic triumph put him fourth all-time in purse earnings among all North American-trained horses, behind only Curlin , Cigar, and Skip Away.
"It's a huge relief and we're extremely lucky to have the horse," Magnier said, watching American Pharoah arrive safe and sound at the stallion complex near Versailles, Ky. "In fairness to Bob, from the outset, a long time ago, he was telling us how good this horse was and that we should try and get him. And thankfully we got a deal done with the Zayats; they're very good people and we're just very lucky that it worked out."