Apr. 17 Insights: Ward Sends Out First U.S. American Pharoah Runner at Big A

[Wandering Eyes]

It’s been 37 years since foals from an American Triple Crown winner raced on U.S. soil, going back to when Seattle Slew’s initial crop of 2-year-olds hit the track in 1982. The wait is over, as American Pharoah’s first two Stateside runners are entered in the Wednesday opener at Aqueduct for trainer Wesley Ward. Only one is expected to run, however, and the filly will try to follow in the auspicious footsteps of Monarch of Egypt, who kicked things off for ‘Pharoah’ progeny Saturday at Naas in Ireland and was promptly named a ‘TDN Rising Star’ with a 2 3/4-length debut score (video).

With morning-line favorite and GISW Hootenanny (Quality Road) half-sister Lady Delaware expected to scratch, that leaves Ice Wine Stable’s TESORINA to carry the flag. The chestnut, bred by Ward, is out of GISW Nonsuch Bay (Mr. Greeley) and shares a second dam with MGSW/GISP Samraat (Noble Causeway). She’s trained steadily, and got a feel for the local track with a half-mile breeze in :50 flat (2/14) Apr. 14.

“She is quick,” said Ward of Tesorina. “I trained a Scat Daddy that also is out of Nonsuch Bay [Brittas Bay]. Body wise, she appears to be more a sprint type of filly.”

Overall, Ward was beaming for the opportunity to train American Pharoah’s first North American runner, who he hopes can get the Coolmore stallion’s second career off to a sharp start in his native land.

“I’m excited,” Ward said. “Coolmore has always been good to me. American Pharoah was a tremendous racehorse and hopefully [will be] a tremendous sire as well.”

Elsewhere in the field, the precocious Fast Anna also gets his stallion career off the runway with Rudy Rodriguez pupil Women Not Easy. Owned by Frank Calabrese, Fast Anna won his first two starts by a combined 15 1/4 lengths at Gulfstream in 2014 and was a neck second in that summer’s GI King’s Bishop S. He also ran well to be fifth, beaten just 2 1/2 lengths, after setting blistering fractions of :21.19 and :43.34 in the GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint two starts later. Standing for $7,500, his progeny have been generally well received in the sales ring, and Women Not Easy hammered for $130,000 after breezing a furlong in :10 2/5 at OBS March. The New York-bred is a half to multiple state-bred SW Miss Narcissist (Freud) and has the same second dam as GSW/GISP Faypien (Ghostzapper).

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