Triple Crown victor, American Pharoah (Pioneerof The Nile ex Littleprincessemma) has been voted the best racehorse of 2015 at the Longines World’s Best Racehorse ceremony in London. A stellar spring campaign, an historic Triple Crown romp, a breathtaking Haskell Invitational win, a gutsy performance in the Travers Stakes and a dominant Breeders’ Cup Classic have placed American Pharaoh, unanimously, at the pinnacle of world racing.

 

But does his pedigree explain his greatest and does it give direction to how he should be bred? I believe it does. This is how and why.

 

American Pharoah hails from the Mr Prospector sireline and it is Mr Prospector who is at 'play' through his third dam, Miss Dogwood.

 

Miss Dogwood in Mr Prospector matches Queen Zetta in American Pharoah.

 

Queen Zetta has Teddy’s Comet and Hoop Jr, each carrying full siblings to what Miss Dogwood has.

 

Miss Dogwood has Teddy over North Star.

 

Teddy’s Comet has Teddy over North Star’s rare, full sister, Starflight.

 

Hoop Jr has a daughter of St Simon and a daughter of Isidor to match Miss Dogwoods tail

female ancestress, Ornis, sister to Isis. Isidor is a son of Isis, so we have Isis through a son and daughter.

 

The clue to American Pharoah was the stallion, Cozier, found in the pedigree of both American Pharoah and Jojo Warrior,another outsanding performer by Pioneerof The Nile. Jojo Warrior's dam is by Carson City who is tail female to Prides Promise by Cozier like American Pharoah who is tail female to Queen Zetta, also by Cozier.

 

To confirm the significance of these lines, I had another look at American Pharoah…but from a different tangent.

 

Mr Prospector enjoys an excellent nick with Buckpasser so I checked what Buckpasser brings to that cross…..and found he brings the identical lines that Queen Zetta carries.

 

Buckpasser has Gaga with Teddy over Orion. Orion is a full brother to Isis so we have the same cross with opposite sex siblings.

 

Buckpasser also has Businesslike who is by Blue Larkspur over La Troienne. This cross of Blue Larkspur over La Trioenne is really the cross of North Star over Teddy (again).

 

In my mind the Mr Prospector/Buckpasser cross confirms the Pioneerof The Nile/Queen Zetta cross that makes American Pharoah great.

 

As an extra pedigree ‘goodie’, American Pharoahs 2nd dam is from the Raise A Native sireline, just like Mr Prospector.

 

American Pharoah’s pedigree gave him everything he needed to be an extraordinary racehorse. It will be with reference to the lines that made him a great on the racetrack, that he can also achieve greatness in the breeding barn.

 

I look forward to seeing how he performs in his new career a stud.