Star of Goshen, dam of Pioneerof the Nile, dies at 24

Stakes winner Star of Goshen, the dam of classic sire Pioneerof the Nile, has died, owner Zayat Stables reported on Wednesday. The Lord At War mare was 24, and had produced her final foal in 2015.

Star of Goshen, bred by Lavin Bloodstock, was a $175,000 juvenile purchase and raced for Gary and Betty Biszantz’s Cobra Farm, winning 3 of 5 starts. Her career was highlighted by an 11-length victory in the 1997 La Troienne Stakes at Churchill Downs, in which Ajina, that year's eventual champion 3-year-old filly, finished fourth.

As a broodmare, Star of Goshen produced three winners from five starters, led by multiple Grade 1 winner Pioneerof the Nile and multiple Grade 2 placed Forefathers. The latter was among the early acquisitions for Ahmed Zayat's Zayat Stables, which purchased the Gone West colt for $680,000 out of the 2005 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling sale.

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Zayat thought so highly of Forefathers that in late 2005 he privately purchased Star of Goshen, in foal to Empire Maker, and her daughter Regala Di Trieste, in foal to Gulch, in a package deal from Cobra Farm. Star of Goshen’s resulting Empire Maker foal was named Pioneerof the Nile in a nod to Zayat’s Egyptian heritage. Pioneerof the Nile became one of the standard-bearers for Zayat Stables, ripping off consecutive graded stakes wins in the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity, Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis Stakes, Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes, and Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby. He finished second in the Kentucky Derby on a sloppy track to longshot Mine That Bird, then 11th in the Preakness Stakes.

Pioneerof the Nile is, of course, the sire of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. He has also been represented by champion and classic-placed Classic Empire, and another classic-placed runner in Social Inclusion. All three are now young stallions representing their sire at stud in North America, along with the likes of Grade 1 winner Midnight Storm and multiple graded stakes winner Cairo Prince.