Monarch of Egypt Scores for American Pharoah at Naas

Monarch of Egypt— the first runner for U.S. Triple Crown hero and freshman sire American Pharoah —made a winning debut in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Race at Naas April 13, promptly dispelling any doubts that the sire's progeny would not act on turf. 

Monarch of Egypt is trained by Aidan O'Brien for Peter Brant's White Birch Farm and the Coolmore partners, for whom he was a $750,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, and he made most of the running under Ryan Moore before drawing clear impressively to win by almost three lengths.

Monarch of Egypt was bred in Kentucky by Ran Jan Racing, which enjoyed extraordinary success as a breeder in Europe last year with Cartier Horse of the Year Roaring Lion.

American Pharoah, a son of the late Pioneerof the Nile , may have done most of his racing on dirt, but Monarch of Egypt's female side of his pedigree is packed full of talented turf runners.

He is the third foal out of Up, a daughter of Galileo and the Spectrum mare Halland Park Lass. Up was added to the Ran Jan Racing broodmare band when bought with Jan Vandebos for $2.2 million at the 2015 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale.

At 3, the dam won the Irresistible Jewel Blandford Stakes (G2) and finished second to Beauty Parlour in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French One Thousand Guineas, G1).

That evidence hints toward Monarch of Egypt progressing with age, although it is not difficult to see where he gets his precocity.

As a juvenile, American Pharoah won the Del Mar Futurity (G1) at Del Mar over the all-weather synthetic surface and the FrontRunner Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park on dirt. Up is a half sister to Darley Prix Morny (G1) victor Dutch Art. 

Betfair introduced Monarch of Egypt at 14-1 for the Coventry Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot.

O'Brien said after the race: "That was lovely. He's a straightforward and honest horse who has been showing us plenty on the gallops at home. Ryan (Moore) said he would have no problem getting six or seven furlongs.

"This was his first time away, so you'd imagine there will be plenty of improvement. He's still babyish and he was green when he got there. He's uncomplicated. He has a lovely mind. He would have to run again before Ascot."

Monarch of Egypt holds an early entry in next year's Investec Derby (G1), run over the same 1 1/2-mile trip as the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1), which American Pharoah won to become the first horse in 37 years to complete the U.S. Triple Crown in 2015.