American Pharoah bucking trends at stud

Young stallions typically garner strong books of mares when they retire to stud, with their supporters looking to get them off to a strong start, then cool down for a few years until their progeny are proven on the racetrack or in the sale ring.

But Triple Crown winner American Pharoah is a special case, and has not followed that trend.

American Pharoah was again among the most active stallions in North America in 2017, covering 214 mares in his second season at stud, according to The Jockey Club’s Report of Mares Bred. The broodmares coming to the court of the Pioneerof the Nile stallion, standing at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud, again included several gems.

American Pharoah entered stud for an advertised fee of $200,000 in 2016, covering 208 mares, before moving to a private fee this year. Broodmare of the Year Take Charge Lady delivered a filly from American Pharoah’s first crop this spring, and was bred back to the young stallion again for a 2018 foal. The mare is the dam of champion Will Take Charge and Grade 1 winner Take Charge Indy, and is the second dam of champion Take Charge Brandi.

American Pharoah’s book included a second Broodmare of the Year this season in Leslie’s Lady, dam of four-time Eclipse Award winner Beholder and Grade 1 winner and leading sire Into Mischief.

Other standouts in American Pharoah’s second book included Maryinsky, dam of European champion Peeping Fawn and Group 1 winner Thewayyouare, and Peeping Fawn herself, already a stakes producer. The book also included a pair of Eclipse Award champion juvenile fillies in Indian Blessing and She Be Wild, and the dams of Grade 1 winners Collected, Hoppertunity, and Lady Eli.

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