Coolmore America Archives - Thoroughbred U

Share This:

American Pharoah stands at Coolmore America, Ashford Stud in Versailles, KY. — **American Pharoah** stands at Coolmore America, Ashford Stud, in Versailles, KY.

The sweltering summer is swiftly sweeping by as we welcome July and all of the super racing and sales that this month has to offer. As our Triple Crown winning, 2 time Eclipse Winning, Breeders’ Cup Classic and Grand Slam winning, American Pharoah headed off yesterday I am looking forward to admiring what he has left behind for now, Pharoah’s phoals.

Keeping American Pharoah comfortable in his stall is very important at Ashford Stud. — Keeping **American Pharoah** comfortable in his stall is very important at Ashford Stud.

American Pharoah retired from racing after his record breaking 2015 racing season. He stands at Coolmore America, Ashford Stud, in Versailles, KY during North America’s breeding season and then he ships to Coolmore Australia to breed during their season. American Pharoah went into quarantine for shipping to Australia the last day of June. His presence in KY will be missed but fortunately he leaves behind many from his 2 crops of foals.

American Pharoah gives some side eye to his fans from his stall at Ashford Stud. — **American Pharoah** gives some side eye to his fans from his stall at Ashford Stud.

American Pharoah’s foals are too young to race but they are fun to follow for their cuteness, the price that they bring at sales and the promise of future racing. His 2017 North American crop has earned an average of $445,500 at auction for 10 of 13 weanlings offered. In 2018 his North American offspring, 3 of 5 yearlings offered, have sold for an average of $540,000. American Pharoah has had two of his offspring sell for a million dollars each. No other sire had a million dollar weanling in 2017. In 2 North American crops, he has 173 foals, 14 weanlings and 159 yearlings. He covered 208 mares in North America in 2016 and 214 in 2017. His 2018 season just ended in June. His 2016 reported stud fee was listed at $200,000 and was last listed as private. People must be really holding on to those foals to race them themselves or watch as the value goes up. It is July and we are about to see some more of his foals at auction!

This stud is a handsome looker. American Pharoah poses for his fans at Ashford Stud. — This stud is a handsome looker. **American** **Pharoah** poses for his fans at Ashford Stud.

On Tuesday, July 10th, 2018 at 10 A.M ET, Fasig-Tipton in Lexington, KY will hold their July Selected Yearlings Sale. I am in a lot of anticipation for this sale and I plan to follow up with pictures from the sale of these two American Pharoah fillies. Hip 131 is a filly born to Yong Musician consigned by a selected sales agent for Machmer Hall. Hip 205 was foaled by Distorted Point and will be sold by Bluewater Sales, LLC.

Look at that conformation! American Pharoah looks so healthy at Ashford Stud. — Look at that conformation! **American Pharoah** looks so healthy at Ashford Stud.

I will continue to cover more on American Pharoah’s phoals as they progress and go thru auctions and his phamily as it was fun to watch his full brother, St. Patrick’s Day, finish 3rd in his 3rd start on Thursday. I am hoping for some more summer racing from St. Patrick’s Day. This lightly raced 3 year old finished 2nd at Del Mar last Fall before breaking his maiden in his next start, a month later, at the same track. He made his 2018 debut at Curragh in the listed Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire Celebration Stakes last week. I’d love to see him ship back to America to romp in our races this summer.

Share This:

A dream was fulfilled yesterday when I finally got to meet American Pharoah. I was lucky enough to be present at Keeneland, this past October, when Pharoah worked his way thru the paddock and then flashed past me to win his final race. He won the first and only Grand Slam, the combination of all 3 legs of the Triple Crown and the Breeders’ Cup Classic. With that, Pharoah retired just a few miles further down the road at Ashford Stud in Versailles,KY.

Ashford Stud is the American division of Coolmore. Coolmore America acquired the Ashford farm in the 1980s. The land was developed for cattle farming around 1912 and was called Hereford Farm until the late 1970s. As the cattle were replaced by stallions some great bloodlines began to prosper here. I was very impressed from the time I traveled thru the gated entry and down the tree lined car path passing lush fields that led us to the start of the tour. Everything we saw was built with beauty and there is a lot of stone work.

Coolmore added Thunder Gulch to the roster in 1996. He still lives there today, having retired last year. He serves as a calming factor to American Pharoah in the paddock now. Thunder Gulch is the offspring of Gulch and Line of Thunder. Thunder Gulch was born in March of 1992. He won the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes in 1995. He was 3rd in the Preakness Stakes that year. He was the Eclipse Award winner for Champion 3 Year Old Colt that same year. By 2001 he was the top sire. He has produced many fine Thoroughbreds.

A farm favorite and North America’s leading sire in lifetime earnings, still standing at Ashford, is Giant’s Causeway. He shares a barn with American Pharoah but it is Giant’s Causeway’s large statue that is featured just outside of the barn door. He is accredited with producing 31 Grade 1 winners. He is the son of Storm Cat and Mariah’s Storm, born in 1997. Giant’s Causeway had a nice career as a runner but the stud life is for him. He earned the champion sire title in 2009, 2010 and 2012.

Shanghai Bobby said it was much too pretty to look inward towards the barn. He was enjoying the view of the lovely farm. His very 1st crop of yearlings are selling now and he has had some nice prices on his Keeneland September Sale grads. Shanghai Bobby won the BC Juvenile and and Eclipse Award for Champion 2 Year Old Colt both in 2012. He himself is the son of Harlan’s Holiday and Steelin’. He was foaled in 2010.

Munnings wasn’t having it either. He left the hamming to American Pharoah. Munnings is the 2006 offspring of Speightstown and La Comete. Munnings was a nice race horse and he is producing great foals. I’m A Chatterbox is one of my favorite of his progeny.

Uncle Mo is having a very significant impact on the industry right now. He is the sire of our last KY Derby winner, Nyquist. Indian Charlie and Playa Maya produced Uncle Mo in 2008. He was the winner of the 2010 BC Juvenile and subsequently the winner of the Eclipse Award for Champion 2 Year Old Colt that same year.

Declaration of War was born to War Front and Tempo West in 2009. His sire, War Front along with Tapit took the lead at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale as they have for years. Declaration of War’s first crop are currently yearlings.

Lookin At Lucky wasn’t necessarily looking at me. This 2007 son of Smart Strike and Private Feeling was a nice racehorse. Lookin at Lucky won the Preakness in 2010. In 2009 and 2010 he took the Eclipse Award for Champion Colt. Madefromlucky is one of his many graded stakes winning offspring.

The name plaques on the walls and the gravestones in the cemetery remind us of the great horses that have called Ashford Stud home. Cigar and Scat Daddy are among those memorialized. Scat Daddy died way to soon. His last crop of yearlings are making there way through this year’s sales. Hip 454 at the 2016 Keeneland September Sale was his son. He was the sale topper hammering $3 million dollars.

The property is stuffed with awards and memorabilia affiliated with the champion sires that have called Ashford home. Pictured here are just a few of the wonderful collection I saw.

The least fancy building on the tour holds the most important rooms. This is the breeding shed where every live mount at Coolmore America takes place.

I’ll conclude the tour recap with a few more photos of Ashford’s and America’s champ. American Pharoah brought an end to our 37 year quest for a Triple Crown Winner. He is our only living champion horse of just 12 Thoroughbreds to ever win the series. American Pharoah was born in 2012. He is the son of Pioneerof the Nile and Littleprincessemma. Pharoah began breeding for the 1st time this year. I can not wait to see his foals. I hope they inherit every bit of his talent. He has put on a little weight and he seemed calm and comfortable for a stallion. To arrange for your own tour go to Horse Country Tours

In other news, California Chrome races again Saturday. Look for my Chrome story any day now.

Share This:

Tag: Coolmore America

Pharoah’s Phoals

Photogenic Pharoah