Coolmore farm tours to include viewings of American Pharoah
As was the case with his racetrack career, American Pharoah has taken everything in his stride as he transitions into his new life as a stallion at Coolmore America's Ashford Stud. On Monday morning he was accompanied by police escort as he made the short journey from Keeneland to his new home in Versailles, Kentucky. American Pharoah was greeted by a gathering of press and Ashford Stud staff members as he became acquainted with his new surroundings and took in the fanfare he has become accustomed to.
It is a quiet time in the stallion division at the moment so American Pharoah will be given time to slowly settle in to the routine of the other stallions at Ashford. Over the next few days he will be taken for an early morning walk and grazed in hand. Before long he will be turned out to relax in his own paddock each morning. Ashford's resident equine "father figure," Thunder Gulch, will play an important part in this process. Now 23 years old and pensioned from active stallion duty, the 1995 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner will act as a baby sitter of sorts for American Pharaoh and will keep him company in an adjacent paddock.
"Young horses, when they get out, tend to run around a lot, and if they have company it just encourages them to run around," said Ashford stallion manager Richard Barry. "But if you put a 23-year-old boy beside them, he'll kind of look at him and go, 'Son, you can run on your own.' American Pharoah will probably spend an hour looking at Thunder Gulch eating grass, and try to get him to run, and he won't run anywhere, and then he'll figure out that he should eat some grass himself."
So far American Pharoah has shown a very sensible temperament and a keen interest in everything happening around him so he is expected to settle into his new routine very quickly. He will be turned out in his paddock first thing in the morning and brought back into his stable before lunch to be groomed. Afternoons will be spent relaxing in his stall and also parading for any breeders who come by the farm to inspect him. Once the day is done he will be given his evening feed and bedded down for the night.
The breeding season starts in early February so American Pharoah will have several months of rest and relaxation before he starts breeding mares. As he is no longer in active training and will be living the good life at Ashford, he is expected to put on upwards of 100 pounds as his body changes from that of an athlete to a mature stallion.
Horse racing fans and enthusiasts are welcome to see American Pharoah at Coolmore America, but tours will be scheduled around the routines of our horses and employees.
The farm is currently closed to the public for the duration of the breeding sales and through Thanksgiving, but tours will recommence on November 30. Tours are run from Monday to Friday at 3 p.m. (ET) and can be booked at www.visithorsecountry.com or via phone at 859-963-1004. Please use these contact details rather than contacting the farm directly. Tour costs are $20 per adult and $11 for children under 12.
No guarantees can be made for any particular tour -- showings are pending the health and welfare of the animals. Tours conclude in Coolmore's visitors' center which features interactive videos of our stallions.
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