American Pharoah

The highly regarded Spielberg (Union Rags) will look to earn his diploma in Saturday's GI American Pharoah S., a qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Produced by a winning daughter of Smart Strike, the long-striding $1-million KEESEP yearling purchase figures to appreciate this stretch to two turns off a pair of runner-up finishes behind the talented Dr. Schivel (Violence), including a game effort after dueling throughout in the seven-furlong GI Runhappy Del Mar Futurity S. Sept. 7. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert seeks his record 10th victory in...

SUNDAY'S RACING INSIGHTS: By Christie DeBernardis Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency BROWN UNVEILS JUDDMONTE BLUE-BLOOD 3rd-BEL, $63K, Msw, 2yo, 6fT, 2:04 p.m. Juddmonte Farms homebred REALM OF LAW (War Front) makes his career bow in Elmont for trainer Chad Brown. The gray's dam is GSW & MGISP Filimbi (Mizzen Mast), who is a daughter of MGISW millionaire Flute (Seattle Slew). This is also the family of GISW Weep No More (Mineshaft) and GSW Current (Curlin). Todd Pletcher unveils another juvenile of intrigue in the Coolmore contingent's Fighting Force (Air Force...

Attorneys representing MGG Investment Group, LP, which is the plaintiff in a $24.5 million Kentucky civil lawsuit alleging fraud and loan defaults against Ahmed Zayat and his family's Zayat Stables, LLC, disclosed in a legal document filed Sept. 18 that the court-appointed receiver in that case intends to hold a November auction to sell off horses that are being held as collateral against the unpaid debts. News about this anticipated November auction was made public in the form of a letter dated Friday and filed in United States Bankruptcy Court,...

The Ronald McDonald House of the Bluegrass in Lexington, Kentucky will be holding a drawing to win framed halters worn by Triple Crown winners American Pharoah and Justify. The halters, donated by Coolmore's Ashford Stud, where the pair stand, are professionally framed in museum-quality shadowboxes by Frames on Main in Paris, Ky., and come with a letter of authenticity. The funds will raise money for the Ronald McDonald House of the Bluegrass, which allows families to stay close to their children while they are receiving the medical care they need....

Ahmed Zayat's former financial advisor is among the entities now initiating an "involuntary bankruptcy" petition against Zayat's family-owned racing stable. This Sept. 14 court action comes six days after the allegedly insolvent Triple Crown-winning breeder and owner voluntarily filed for his own personal Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection. Although once prevalent, involuntary bankruptcy proceedings are now relatively uncommon in United States courts. They are designed to protect creditors, not debtors, and are often filed against companies (as opposed to individuals) as an attempt to get paid when it is believed that...

   Longtime owner/breeder Mike Rutherford of Lexington's Manchester Farm fended off several stiff challenges to ultimately land an American Pharaoh half-sister to unbeaten GII Amsterdam S. romper Yaupon (Uncle Mo) for $1.2 million.    The chestnut (hip 291) was consigned to the sale by Bill Betz's Betz Thoroughbreds and bred by Betz, J. Betz, CoCo Equine, former Chicago newscaster Ron Magers and Burns.    "She is beautiful, gorgeous," said Rutherford while rushing out of the sales pavilion. "Best filly I have seen. Let's hope she can run."    Rutherford said...

by Jessica Martini, Brian DiDonato & Christie DeBernardis LEXINGTON, KY--Fasig-Tipton's two-day Selected Yearlings Showcase concluded Thursday with solid enough trade--especially on flashier offerings--given the global uncertainty leading up to the first major yearling sale in the year of COVID-19. The auction, necessitated by the cancellation of the July, Saratoga and New York-bred sales, featured 348 transactions for gross receipts of $61,765,000 at an average of $177,486 and median of $120,000. The buy-back rate was 33.7%. The sale topper came on Wednesday when Robbie Medina, bidding on behalf of Joe Allen,...

Spendthrift purchased the breeding rights to Authentic before the Grade l Santa Anita Derby, and the $9 million kicker it agreed to pay Authentic's former ownership group for winning the Gl Kentucky Derby is indicative of the premium that's placed on a stallion prospect with North America's most prestigious Classic on his resume. A front-running colt, Authentic has the right type of sire behind him as well. He's by Spendthrift's flagship stallion Into Mischief (Harlan's Holiday), who cranks out graded stakes winners like nobody's business, particularly sprinters and milers that...

A son of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah was the first to set off fireworks at Fasig-Tipton Thursday, igniting a spirited round of bidding between a trio of powerhouse connections in Donato Lanni, Coolmore and Marette Farrell, acting on behalf on Speedway Stables. Lanni was the first to throw in the towel, leaving Coolmore and Farrell to duke it out and it was Farrell left to sign the winning $1.25-million ticket on behalf of her longtime clients, Speedway's K.C. Weiner and Peter Fluor. "K.C. Weiner and Peter Fluor are two...

Proving her stamina for 14 furlongs when winning Leopardstown's Listed Vinnie Roe S. Aug. 13, Scott Heider's Pista (American Pharoah) overcame inexperience to follow up in a competitive renewal of Doncaster's G2 bet365 Park Hill Fillies' S. on Thursday. Anchored in last early by William Buick, the 6-1 shot was delivered towards the stand's side to gain the lead in the final 100 yards and despite running away from the whip scored by 1 1/2 lengths from Vivionn (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), with the 11-8 favourite Believe In Love (Ire) (Make...

Friday's card at The Curragh sees the Niarchos family's G1 Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Albigna (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) getting back down to business in the G3 Snow Fairy Fillies S. Last seen finishing sixth in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas here June 13, the homebred who was also successful in the G2 Airlie Stud S. and fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf during last term was jarred up during the mile Classic and has been found an ideal reintroduction by Jessie Harrington. "It's a comeback race, so...

"Born to Run," a one-hour documentary focusing on the first crop of horses by 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, will debut on NBC Sunday at noon ET. Narrated by actress Ashley Judd, the film chronicles American Pharoah's foals, from their births in the spring of 2017, to the sales ring at Keeneland, to the farms of Florida, and on to their first races. The NBC Sports Film is presented by MassMutual.