By Steve Sherack
MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm's Forbidden Kingdom (American Pharoah), a powerful wire-to-wire winner of the GII San Vicente S. Jan. 29 and GII San Felipe S. Mar. 5, could return to action against older horses in the GII Santa Anita Sprint Championship S. Oct. 1.
Knocked off the Triple Crown trail after finishing last of six as the favorite after setting a fast pace in the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby Apr. 9, the chestnut has posted three breezes since returning to the worktab in August, most recently firing a four-furlong bullet in :46 (1/65) at Hall of Famer Richard Mandella's Del Mar base Aug. 26.
“He just had a handful of setbacks–a succession of bad luck, bad timing type of things,” Spendthrift's General Manager Ned Toffey said.
“The most recent was a little bout with colitis and it just took a little bit for him to bounce back. Richard is such a great caretaker and he's given him plenty of time and let him get back to the horse that we know he is. He's starting to remind us of what we saw earlier in the year. We know he's fast. We know he's talented. It's just been a frustrating year. We're always gonna do what's right for the horse and give them the time that they need. Hopefully, he's gonna reward us for it.”
Bred in Kentucky by Gabriel Duignan's Springhouse Farm, Forbidden Kingdom brought $300,000 at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase. He is one of 16 graded winners worldwide for Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. Duignan purchased Forbidden Kingdom's dam Just Louise (Five Star Day), winner of the 2010 GIII Debutante S. and a half-sister to MGSW Sara Louise (Malibu Moon), for $150,000 at the 2013 FTKNOV sale.
Forbidden Kingdom, a debut winner at two at Del Mar, was also second in last term's GIII Bob Hope S. and third in the grassy Speakeasy S.
“When we bought him at the sale, he very much had a look of an American dirt speed horse,” Toffey said.
“And not that he can't stretch out. We still feel like the jury is out on that subject. They need to do it on the track and build that resume before getting admitted to the stud barn, but he certainly is the kind of horse that I think breeders would really respond well to. We want to try to enjoy some more success with him first.”
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