Kentucky-bred Café Pharoah became the first Grade 1 winner in Japan for his Triple Crown-winning sire American Pharoah, sweeping to an impressive victory in Sunday’s February Stakes (G1) at Tokyo Racecourse, a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar in November.

Owned by Koichi Nishikawa and bred by the late Paul Pompa Jr., Café Pharoah is trained by Noriyuki Hori. Rated off the leaders early, Café Pharoah moved into contention as the field straightened for home. He swung out around runners under confident handling from jockey Christophe Lemaire and held at bay a late-rallying Air Spinel (JPN) to prove best over a contentious field.

Café Pharoah was a two-time graded stakes winner last year at three, winning the Sirius Stakes (G3) and the Unicorn Stakes (G3). He also annexed the Hyacinth Stakes while undefeated in the first three starts of his career.

Purchased for $475,000 at the 2019 OBS March sale out of the Eddie Woods consignment, Café Pharoah is out of the multiple graded stakes winner Mary’s Follies. The daughter of More Than Ready sold to BBA Ireland in the Pompa Dispersal during the Keeneland January Sale. Café Pharoah is a half-brother to Regal Glory, by Animal Kingdom, who also sold at that sale, going to Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm for $925,000, and he is also a half to multiple graded stakes winner Night Prowler.