American Pharoah Colt Returns From Long Absence at Kyoto

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Kyoto and Niigata Racecourses:

Saturday, May 23, 2026
6th-KYO, ¥15,620,000 ($98k), Allowance, 3yo, 1400m
MON SOUHAIT (c, 3, McKinzie–Fashion World {GB}, by Dubawi {Ire}) was unplaced in two juvenile appearances and again on 3-year-old debut in January, but put it all together with a daylight victory over this distance at Kyoto Mar. 8. A daughter of GI Personal Ensign Stakes winner Icon Project (Empire Maker) and a half-sister to GSW Fashion Business (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Fashion World was purchased by Candy Meadows for $240,000 in foal to Munnings at Keeneland November in 2021. A $100,000 KEESEP yearling and sold for that same price as an OBS April breezer, Mon Souhait counts GISW La Gueriere (Lord At War {Arg}) as his third dam. O-North Hills Co Ltd; B-Candy Meadows LLC (KY); T-Kazuya Takahashi

Sunday, May 24, 2026
6th-NII, ¥11,280,000 ($71k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800m
FIORITA (c, 3, Mendelssohn–Yoshino Zakura {Jpn}, by Deep Impact {Jpn}) is the second starter for his dam, a daughter of Asian Meteor (Unbridled), who cost North Hills $275,000 at the 2001 Keeneland September Sale. While the latter earned less than $30,000 at the races, she has produced six winners for the Maeda family, including GSW D'Accord (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn})) and GSP Le Sucre (Jpn) (Sakura Bakushin O {Jpn}), whose offspring include Entscheiden (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), a stakes winner at home and twice placed in the G1 Prix de la Foret; and the MGSWs Bien Fait (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) and Blanc Bonheur (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). The colt's third dam is Trolley Song (Caro {Ire}), herself the dam of Unbridled's Song. O-Koki Maeda; B-North Hills Co Limited (KY); T-Masahiro Otake

12th-KYO, ¥15,620,000 ($98k), Allowance, 4yo/up, 1400m
AMERICAN BEACH (JPN) (c, 4, American Pharoah–American Song {Arg}, by Stripes Song {Arg}) improved for a debut fifth to break his maiden at second asking back in October 2024 and returns to action here. The April foal is out of a Group 1-winning half-sister to Mystery Train (Arg) (Not For Sale {Arg}), twice a winner at the top level at home and a stakes winner and Grade III-placed in this country for owner Jed Cohen and trainer Darrell Vienna. American Beach was purchased for $509,000 as a foal at the 2022 JRHA Select Sale and his current yearling half-brother by Kitasan Black (Jpn) fetched $1.49 million at the same auction last summer. O-Yoshimasa Ema; B-Grand Stud; T-Hirofumi Shii