Forbidden Kingdom Latest Standout for American Pharoah

I remember talking with another industry figure at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale when the first crop of American Pharoah was in their 3-year-old season. We were discussing the trend of the several of the first notables for the Ashford Stud stallion tending to be turf sprinters. My comment was along the lines that, whatever the aptitude his offspring were currently displaying, he was transmitting class, and with that in mind, good dirt runners were sure to follow (especially as he'd already had two smart dirt performers in Japan). That prediction has taken a while to come to fruition—in fact, there were times I questioned it myself—but having finally done so, it's done so in style, a point hammered home on the most recent weekend, which saw As Time Goes By take the Beholder Mile (G1) for her first triumph at the highest level, and Forbidden Kingdom earn a position as a leading hope for the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), with a 5 3/4-length triumph in the San Felipe Stakes (G2). As Time Goes By and Forbidden Kingdom, along with Japanese-raced Café Pharoah, who took the February Stakes (G1) from the second straight year, and the Santa Monica Stakes (G2) heroine Merneith, mean that in the first 10 weeks of 2022, American Pharoah has already been represented by four graded stakes winners on dirt, a total matched only by Into Mischief among United States sires this year. All told, American Pharoah's first three Northern Hemisphere sired crops—the youngest only 3-year-olds of 2022—have now produced no less than 23 stakes winners 12 group/graded, including other group/grade one winners Van Gogh, voted Cartier champion European 2-year-old colt for 2020, and Harvey's Lil Goil, a stakes winner on dirt and successful in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1T) on turf. We'll also note that from those crops American Pharoah has already been represented by stakes winners in six different countries—the U.S., Canada, Japan, England, France, and Ireland—with group/graded stakes winners in five of those jurisdictions. It is also worth noting the remarkable range of distances over which his horses have recorded group or graded victories, from 5 1/2 furlongs to 14 1/2 furlongs. This prompts a couple of further thoughts: one of which is that wide international distribution of his successful offspring has somewhat diluted his impact at home, at least in terms of perception, and that as a relatively outcrossed horse, that while transmitting class, in terms of aptitude in general he is quite strongly influenced by his mates. It appears that Forbidden Kingdom was at one time viewed as fitting the turf sprint mode of American Pharoah runners like Four Wheel Drive, Maven, Turned Aside, and Another Miracle. After breaking his maiden at 5 1/2 furlongs on dirt at Del Mar in August, he started favorite for the Speakeasy Stakes over 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf at Santa Anita, but wound up third after getting bumped around at the start. Back on the main track, Forbidden Kingdom ended his first campaign with a second in the Bob Hope Stakes (G3), beaten 3 1/2 lengths by Messier after pulling hard through the early part of the race. In his only other start prior to the weekend, Forbidden Kingdom went wire-to-wire to take the San Vicente Stakes (G2) on his seasonal debut by 2 1/4 lengths from Pinehurst, who subsequently captured the Al Rajhi Bank Saudi Derby (G3). Forbidden Kingdom is the first black-type horse from seven foals and four starters out his dam, Just Louise. By the sprinter Five Star Day (by Carson City), Just Louise was speedy precocious, winning her only two starts at 2, including the Debutante Stakes (G3). Away for more than a year, Just Louise ran three times at 3 without hitting the board. Out of the group placed Mt. Livermore mare Kings Lynn, Just Louise is a half sister to Malibu Moon's good daughter Sara Louise, successful in the Top Flight Handicap (G2), Pocahontas Stakes (G3), and Victory Ride Stakes (G3). Kings Lynn is half sister to the Indiana Breeders' Cup Oaks (G3) captress Scoop, herself the dam of stakes winning and graded stakes-placed Coolwind. Kings Lynn and Scoop were produced by Til Forbid. This talented daughter of the Belmont Stakes (G1) victor Temperence Hill won the Arlington Oaks (G3), and earned places in seven graded stakes events, including a second in the Alabama Stakes (G1) and third in the Spinster Stakes (G1), Ashland Stakes (G1), and Kentucky Oaks (G1). The female line goes back to the imported Argentine-bred Papila, runner-up in the Chilean Oaks. She produced Crimson Satan, the champion 2-year-old of 1961 and a successful sire and broodmare sire, and is also sixth dam of Horse of the Year and standout sire Tiznow. Til Forbid's dam, White Jasmine, is by a son of Crimson Satan, so is inbred 3x3 to Papila. Kings Lynn has Crimson Satan 3x4 and Papila 4x5x5. Papila is from the B mtDNA haplotype, which is one of the less commonly found ones. With that in mind it's interesting that when we come to the pedigree of American Pharoah we find that he is by Pioneerof the Nile—also from the B mtDNA haplotype, and inbred to In Reality, who is from the same haplotype—and his dam is by a son of Storm Cat, who is also out of a Crimson Satan mare. American Pharoah stems from the Mr. Prospector sire line, and he and his sire Pioneerof the Nile have in general underperformed when crossed back over other branches of Mr. Prospector. They do, however, have two graded stakes winners from only 12 starters out of mares from the Carson City branch—as here—and it's interesting to ponder that you'd be hard pressed to find two more different Mr. Prospector sons than American Pharoah's male-line ancestor Fappiano and Carson City.