Rags to Riches and American Pharoah: Posibilities

Photo: Barbara Livingston

Photo: Gary Jones

                          The name that stood out the most to me when I saw the elite mares in American Pharoah's first book was definitely that of Rags To Riches(A.P. Indy). She is among my favorite race mares of all time and it's overwhelming to think that she was bred to the horse that gave racing fans what they had been waiting thirty seven years for. I also believe this might be the first mating between two Belmont Stakes winners meaning the resulting foal could have incredible stamina. 

 

                          Unfortunately, there is also a chance that the resulting foal will be nothing but mediocre on the racetrack, if it even makes it to the racetrack. There are just so many cases in which legendary race mares with good families failed to produce any notable offspring with such examples as Genuine Risk, Lady's Secret and let's not forget that we're still waiting for Zenyatta's first winner. Rags To Riches' previous offspring have not made their mark at the races either. 

               There is, however, hope that this foal could be different seeing as American Pharoah is Rags To Riches' first mate with solid American dirt pedigree. The stallions that she had been bred to in the past had all run predominantly on turf in their racing careers which, in my opinion, didn't suit a dirt pedigree like hers and the resulting offspring inherited ability on neither surface, although we cannot speak for Opulence(Giant's Causeway), who didn't make it to the track, because Giant's Causeway is an exceptional dirt sire. Another positive is that American Pharoah's sire, Pioneerof The Nile, and grandsire, Empire Maker, have been successful when crossed with A.P. Indy line mares. Empire maker bred to the A.P. Indy mare, Lyphard's Delta, produced eclipse champion and Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Royal Delta and Pioneerof The Nile's stakes winning filly, Dark Nile, is out of  the Bernardini mare, Royal Society. We also mustn't ignore the fact that we are talking about the family of Better Than Honour which adds more Belmont Stakes winners to the Pedigree with Rags To Riches' half brother, Jazil(Seeking the Gold), having won it in 2006, a year before she won that classic herself.

              We as racing fans like to see our favorite racehorses continue their legacies through their offspring, but we easily forget that it isn't always possible, if it were, there wouldn't be horse racing. I suppose we will have to wait until 2019 to see if this match of two champions is a successful one.