Breeding season in Kentucky officially begins Monday, just hours after Valentine's Day ended, but Triple Crown winner American Pharoah has already gotten his first taste of the action. With a much-older partner, to boot.
Pharoah started his breeding career with Untouched Talent, a 12-year-old mare and mother to 2012 Kentucky Derby and Preakness runner-up Bodemeister, on Friday at Coolmore's Ashford Stud in Kentucky. The mating session was bumped up from Monday to match her ovulation cycle.
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Pharoah commands a stud fee of $200,000 — second-highest in the United States behind Tapit at $300,000 — and will be bred to about 175 mares this year.