Justify, American Pharoah top Ashford's 2020 stud roster

Coolmore’s Ashford Stud in Kentucky has unveiled its stallion roster and the majority of its fees for 2020. The Ashford roster is led by its pair of Triple Crown winners, American Pharoah and Justify.

American Pharoah, the 2015 Triple Crown winner, Horse of the Year, and North America’s leading freshman sire, will have his fee announced at a later date, presumably following the Breeders’ Cup. Meanwhile, unbeaten 2018 Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year Justify will stand for $150,000, unchanged from his first season, when he covered a star-studded book.

Justify, by Scat Daddy, retired unbeaten in six starts, with four Grade 1 victories. Champions Caledonia Road, Champagne Room, Groupie Doll, and Havre de Grace were among the mares reported bred to him in his first season at stud this year. Proven producers in his book included African Jade, dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Lord Nelson; Grade 1 winner Appealing Zophie, the dam of Belmont Stakes winner Tapwrit; Bella Jolie, the dam of champion sprinter Runhappy; Charming, the dam of champion Take Charge Brandi and Grade 1 winner Omaha Beach; well-bred multiple Group 1 producers Cherry Hinton and Misty For Me; D’Wildcat Speed, dam of champion Lady Aurelia, who is by Scat Daddy; Mining My Own, dam of Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird and Grade 1 winner Dullahan; Sambuca Classica, the dam of champion Classic Empire; Storm Dixie, dam of Kentucky Oaks winner Princess of Sylmar; and Untouched Talent, dam of Grade 1 winner and young classic sire Bodemeister. Other prominent performers reported to be in Justify’s book included Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Found and Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner Bar of Gold.

American Pharoah, by Pioneerof the Nile, was initially listed for a fee of $110,000 when Ashford released its 2019 fees last November before being listed with a private fee. The stallion’s first runners have come out strong this season, and through Sunday, he was North America’s leading freshman sire by earnings, individual winners, and stakes horses. He is expected to have at least four runners on the Breeders’ Cup’s “Future Stars Friday” program on Nov. 1, with Grade 1-placed American Theorem in the Juvenile, Grade 2 winner Sweet Melania in the Juvenile Fillies Turf, and Grade 3 winner Four Wheel Drive and stakes winner Another Miracle in the Juvenile Turf Sprint. Impressive maiden winner Princessa Caroline is a possibility for the Juvenile Fillies Turf if she can draw into the race.

Ashford’s 2020 roster also includes Uncle Mo at $125,000; Mendelssohn at $35,000; Munnings and Practical Joke at $25,000; Classic Empire and Lookin At Lucky at $20,000; Air Force Blue and Tale of the Cat at $15,000; Competitive Edge at $12,500; Cupid and Mo Town at $10,000; and Fusaichi Pegasus at $7,500.