American Pharoah, California Chrome, Nyquist celebrate recent winners

Aug 16, 2020 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

As Triple Crown champion American Pharoah continues to prosper as a stallion, fellow Kentucky Derby (G1) winners California Chrome and Nyquist are getting off the mark with their first crop of 2-year-olds.

American Pharoah could have had a Derby contender in his first crop, siring the top two scorers on the Japan Road. But neither Cafe Pharoah, the Feb. 23 Hyacinth winner and record-setter in the June 21 Unicorn (G3), nor Danon Pharaoh, who upstaged him in the July 8 Japan Dirt Derby, opted to take up the invitation. 
Harvey’s Lil Goil has given Pharoah a chance on the Kentucky Oaks (G1) trail, romping in the Feb. 2 Busanda and placing third in Saturday’s Alabama (G1). Two starts back, the gray signaled turf prowess by capturing the June 27 Regret (G3) at Churchill Downs, and she might end up returning to the grass. 
Aside from Harvey’s Lil Goil’s success in the Regret, other “Pharoahs” have kept rolling on the turf this summer. Grade 2 heroine Sweet Melania, in her first start back since placing third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1), wired the June 20 Wonder Again (G3) at Belmont. Another Miracle, third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2), added another laurel July 12 in Monmouth’s My Frenchman, and on July 24, Turned Aside earned a stakes breakthrough in the 5 1/2-furlong Quick Call (G3) at Saratoga. 
At the opposite end of the distance spectrum Aug. 13, Pharoah filly Pista swooped late to beat the boys in the 1 3/4-mile Vinnie Roe S. at Leopardstown in Ireland. 

Pista bolts up in thrilling style to land the Listed Vinnie Roe Stakes at @leopardstown for @ShaneCrosse and @JosephOBrien2 pic.twitter.com/8J6ucjwNMZ

— Horse Racing Ireland (@HRIRacing) August 13, 2020

Also at Leopardstown, American Pharoah’s current 2-year-olds are beginning to emerge. Nicest, a daughter of 2013 Irish Oaks (G1) winner Chicquita (who is herself a half to globetrotter Magic Wand), got up in the nick of time in her July 23 premiere. She’s a promising prospect for rookie trainer Donnacha O’Brien – another jockey-turned-trainer son of Aidan O’Brien. 
The same venue witnessed a near-miss from Aidan’s pupil Van Gogh. The American Pharoah colt came within a neck of breaking his maiden in the Aug. 6 Tyros (G3), where stablemate Military Style went wire-to-wire. As a son of dual classic-winning highweight Imagine, Van Gogh is a half-brother to Group 1 hero Horatio Nelson and Group 2 scorers Viscount Nelson and Kitty Matcham, among others. 
Pharoah’s already had a trio of debut juvenile winners stateside. Wesley Ward sent out first-time starter Amsden, a half-brother to stakes-winning stablemate Jo Jo Air, to capture a turf sprint maiden by three lengths at Colonial Downs July 28. The $350,000 Keeneland September yearling was produced by Tessie Flip, who is a half to multiple Grade 1 millionaire Switch. 
American Monarch showed great determination to get up in a 1 1/16-mile Saratoga turf maiden Aug. 8. Trained by Bill Mott, the Mike Rutherford homebred is out of Grade 2-placed Front Range, who is in turn a daughter of Giant’s Causeway and multiple Grade 1 star Lakeway. On Aug. 7, the Larry Jones-trained American Grace, a daughter of multiple Louisiana-bred stakes vixen Warrior Maid, kicked 2 1/2 lengths clear in her debut at Ellis Park. 
In Japan, Reframe put up a memorable performance in a newcomers’ race July 25 at Niigata. Despite bolting to the outside rail with her saddle slipping, the daughter of 2009 Alabama (G1) winner Careless Jewel still ran on strongly enough to defeat males over a metric mile.

For A Shin Hikari fans, this will bring tears:

2yo filly REFRAME (American Pharoah x Careless Jewel (Tapit)) won the 1600m (Turf) 2yo Newcomers at Niigata.

She was uncontrollable for most of the race. You won't forget her! A freak is born.#JRApic.twitter.com/5MNu4cqc79

— Graham Pavey (@LongBallToNoOne) July 25, 2020

Soon, Pharoah’s first Southern Hemisphere-foaled crop will be hitting the track, and it will be no surprise if he comes up with a budding star or two in Australia.

California Chrome, the 2014 Derby hero and two-time Horse of the Year, scored his first win when 2-year-old Sunkar Time prevailed July 18 at Krasnodar Hippodrome in southern Russia. A flashy chestnut, Sunkar Time was bred in Kentucky but exported after selling for $14,000 as a yearling at Keeneland September. His dam, the multiple stakes-placed Kiosk, has produced two stakes winners including Ohio-bred celebrity Needmore Flattery. 

California Chrome’s first North American winner, Cilla, made a splash – literally – when dominating an Aug. 13 maiden at a sloppy Delaware Park. A Louisiana homebred for owner P. Dale Ladner and trainer Brett Brinkman, the daughter of Grade 3-placed multiple stakes queen Sittin at the Bar drew off by 7 1/4 lengths. The 8-5 favorite was improving from a third on debut at the same track. 

The 9-year-old California Chrome, who began his stud career at Taylor Made in the Bluegrass, is now based at Japan’s Arrow Stud.

Nyquist, the 2016 Derby star and resident of Darley in Kentucky, racked up three winners in rapid succession.

First to strike on July 26 was his juvenile filly Dream Quist, a 3 3/4-length victress going a mile at Ellis Park. The C&H Diamond Racing and Baccari Racing Stable runner had been fifth in her unveiling in a Churchill Downs sprint. A $265,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling purchase by trainer Ken McPeek, the dark bay is out of the stakes-winning Seacrettina. 

The aptly-named Gretzky the Great, picking up on the hockey theme from his sire, also won in his second try Aug. 2 at Woodbine for Mark Casse. Runner-up in his premiere on the turf, the 1-2 favorite wired an off-the-turf maiden on the Tapeta by 4 1/4 lengths. The Ontario-bred, who was produced by the multiple stakes-placed Bernardini mare Pearl Turn, races for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gary Barber. 

A few minutes later the same afternoon at Saratoga, Lady Lilly justified 19-10 favoritism in her career debut. Trained by Steve Asmussen for Phoenix Thoroughbred III, the $280,000 Keeneland September yearling beat off her pace rivals, opened up, and just held by a neck from fast-finishing Mo Dean. Lady Lilly’s dam, the multiple stakes-placed Miss Inclined, is a half-sister (by Pulpit) to Grade 2 scorer Rush Bay. 

#6 Lady Lilly (9/5) holds on to take Race 6 at The Spa with Joel Rosario up for Steve Asmussen pic.twitter.com/MWXhPPPw8y

— TwinSpires (@TwinSpires) August 2, 2020

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