Pedigree fun facts: 2023 American Pharoah Stakes

Be You is out of Jacaranda, winner of the 2014 Tempted (G3) during her unbeaten two-year-old campaign. By the A.P. Indy stallion Congrats, Jacaranda is a half to multiple Grade 1 hero and successful sire Constitution, who has Indispensable in the American Pharoah. Indispensable is out of a mare by Candy Ride, sire of 2018 American Pharoah scorer Game Winner. 

Next Level and Wine Me Up are both from the first crop of champion Vino Rosso, who emulated sire Curlin by winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). Santa Anita was a happy hunting ground for Vino Rosso, since he also captured the 2019 Gold Cup (G1) as a prelude to his Breeders’ Cup triumph here. This would be a fitting venue for his first Grade 1 score as a sire, although Vino Rosso has chances earlier Saturday in the Champagne (G1) and Breeders’ Futurity (G1). 

Next Level’s dam (mother) is the stakes-placed Devious d’Oro. As her name implies, she’s by Medaglia d’Oro, sire of Bolt d’Oro who dominated the 2017 edition of this race under its former name, the FrontRunner. 

Wine Me Up’s female line is turf-oriented. He’s out of the stakes-winning Deanaallen’skitten, a daughter turf champ Kitten’s Joy, from the family of Grade 1 scorers Light Jig, Seek Again, and Fev Rover, who runs in Sunday’s E.P. Taylor (G1) at Woodbine.

Muth, the $2 million sales topper at OBS in March, is the son and grandson of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1)-winning champions. He’s by the Curlin stallion Good Magic, hero of the 2017 Juvenile, and sire of 2023 Kentucky Derby (G1) victor Mage in his first crop. 

Muth’s dam is by 2010 Juvenile star Uncle Mo, who got champion Nyquist in his first crop. Nyquist landed the 2015 running of this race en route to achieving the rare Breeders’ Cup Juvenile/Kentucky Derby double. 

Uncle Mo also appears as the sire of American Pharoah entrant Rothschild, who is cross-entered to Sunday’s Zuma Beach (G3) on turf. Rothschild is out of Grade 1-placed stakes vixen Still There, by Union Rags, the 2012 Belmont (G1) victor. Union Rags has a pedigree connection to this race too: he’s by Dixie Union, the 1999 winner who sired 2007 winner Dixie Chatter, both under its original name of the Norfolk. 

El Magnifico is the son and grandson of American classic-winning champions. He’s by Street Sense, the first to conquer both the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (2006) and Kentucky Derby, and out of a mare by 2006 Preakness (G1) and Travers (G1) star Bernardini. Hence El Magnifico is bred on the exact same cross as Maxfield, the 2019 Breeders’ Futurity winner.

El Magnifico’s half-sister, Twenty Carat, scored her signature win in the 2021 Beaumont (G3). Their dam, Secret Jewel, is a half to 2010 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) upsetter Shared Account, who produced 2019 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) heroine Sharing.

Raging Torrent is by leading freshman sire Maximus Mischief, the latest successful son of patriarch Into Mischief. His dam is by the Medaglia d’Oro stallion Violence, sire of last year’s Juvenile champion and current Breeders’ Cup Classic hopeful Forte.