Working on a Sex Farm: American Pharoah to Stud for $175,000 per Foal

The late mega-millionaire TV cowboy and sports franchise owner Gene Autry once said after being told he was a bad actor, “I might not know how to act, but I sure know how to count.”

Triple Crown winner American Pharoah’s owner Ahmed Zayat might not know how to spell but he’s pretty good at counting. Zayat Stables will bring in a cool $8-13 million for breeding rights from Coolmore Ashford Stud.

Zayat Stables struck the deal back in January before American Pharoah even won the first leg of the crown, the Kentucky Derby.

The Wall Street Journal’s Pia Catton wrote that if the deal was made after Pharoah’s historic achievement, Zayat could have cashed in even more. “Though the ultimate figure could be higher with the addition of incentives for major wins, a common practice, the starting point for a deal could have been far higher, if made later in the season,” she explained.

According to  a Yahoo Sports source, when American Pharoah retires next year stud fees may exceed $175,000 and could fetch up to $200,000.

The source points out that Coolmore Ashford Stud, even if it had paid double for Pharoah, would still make out quite well. Colts can sire more than 100 foals a year. Doing the math at$175,000 per/foal, the reigning Triple Crown winner could yield $17.5 million per year.

Thoroughbred Tapit commands the highest studding fees in North America. Although he finished only ninth in the 2004 Kentucky Derby, Tapit is raking in $300,000 per foal, because so far he has produced 450 winning horses.