American Pharoah's Father, Pioneerof the Nile, Dies at 13

Pioneerof the Nile is the sire of American Pharoah, the 2015 U.S. Triple Crown winner.

Pioneerof the Nile, sire of 2015 U.S. Triple Crown winner, American Pharoah, died at WinStar Farm in Versailles, Ky. on Monday, the farm announced.

On Monday morning, Pioneerof the Nile bred a mare, then began acting uncomfortably upon returning to his stall, the farm said. The horse passed away while en route to a clinic.

Pioneerof the Nile was 13 years old.

"We are all extremely saddened by the loss of Pioneerof the Nile," said WinStar Farm president and CEO Elliott Walden. "He was a superior physical specimen, a Triple Crown sire, and a unique personality. All of us at WinStar are heartbroken."

Zayat Stables owner Ahmed Zayat took to Twitter to express his grief over the loss of the stallion.

Incredibly shocked and saddened by the sudden loss of my Pioneer of the Nile. He was not only my first homebred he was one of my GREATEST. He was the proud father of American Pharoah and a true sire of sires. The POTN will be greatly missed by all of us here at Zayat Stables

— Ahmed Zayat (@jazz3162) March 18, 2019

and by all of the racing and breeding world. Thank you to Bob Baffert for training him, thank you to Winstar Farm for standing him and caring for him these last years. He is gone way too soon, but never to be forgotten. It truly does take a Pioneer. My sweet boy. @JustinZayat pic.twitter.com/nwb18W827O

— Ahmed Zayat (@jazz3162) March 18, 2019

In 2009, Pioneerof the Nile finished second at the Kentucky Derby. He won the 2009 Santa Anita Derby, and won over $1.6 million in career earnings.