“I wish I had him here this week, would make my job a lot easier,” said Bob Baffert ahead of this year’s Kentucky Derby, highlighting how dearly he missed American Pharoah at Churchill Downs. And why wouldn’t he? After all, in 2015, the son of Pioneer of The Nile won all three jewels of the Triple Crown and went on to mirror the feat at the Breeders’ Cup Classic to etch his name in horse racing history. Goes without saying that American Pharoah remains highly revered even a decade after his triumphs.

So much so that the 13-year-old horse will be crossing oceans to keep his lineage alive. As per a recent article by Coolmore.com, “Triple Crown winner and Horse Of The Year American Pharoah is set to shuttle to The Shizunai Stallion Station in Japan for the 2026 breeding season in partnership with the Japan Bloodhorse Breeders’ Association (JBBA).” The Bob Baffert-trained horse will return to Coolmore America’s Ashford Stud in July next year, the article elaborates further.

Ashford Stud manager Dermot Ryan also noted how the decision was arrived at following years of interest from Japan to acquire American Pharoah. “There has been interest from Japan for the past number of years in purchasing the horse, and we’ve come up with a compromise that suits both parties,” Ryan was quoted as saying in the article, “We have worked very closely shuttling stallions with the JBBA in the past and are delighted that their members will now have access to his bloodline.”

However, it’s not like the horse racing fans in Japan are alien to what American Pharoah’s litter can produce. The legendary Triple Crown winner has sired 58 winners from 88 runners in Japan, with an incredible strike rate of 65%. Among the nine blacktype scorers from those 58, the two-time February Stakes (Grade 1) winner, Cafe Pharoah, is undoubtedly the most popular.

But it’s understandable why American Pharoah is so sought after, even in Japan. After all, he was the first horse ever to claim the “Grand Slam” in American horse racing. At the Breeders’ Cup Classic in 2015, the colt set a new track record (2:00.07) to seal his place among horse racing’s elite. 9 wins in 11 starts further underscore why Baffert’s poster boy was a force on the racetrack. No wonder breeders and trainers from all around the world want to work with his bloodline!

American Pharoah’s footprint is so vivid that even 10 years after his seminal career moment, Bob Baffert still can’t forget the ecstatic feelings from that joyous day.

American Pharoah still makes his trainer giddy

Baffert returned to Churchill Downs after serving three years of suspension following Medina Spirit’s disqualification from the Derby in 2021. The return, though highly anticipated, didn’t pan out to the Hall of Fame trainer’s advantage. Rodriguez had to be scratched due to an injury, and Citizen Bull only finished in 15th place. Naturally, looking at how poorly his horses fared at the CDI, Baffert was once again reminded that American Pharoah continues to be in a league of his own.

“The noise was just the loudest noise; it was the best sporting event I’ve ever been to in my life. Everyone was there to see him win,” Bob told Paulick Report in June, about how the atmosphere at the 2015 Belmont Stakes was electrifying. And it was all for American Pharoah. But despite his incredible career, the horse remained as grounded as ever.

“Everybody knows what a kind horse he is…He loves people,” Baffert said years ago about American Pharoah’s lovable personality. Do you think that’s exactly the kind of combination, along with a winning DNA, that the horse racing fans in Japan are hoping to get? Tell us your thoughts about the horse in a comment below.