02.06.21
Breeze Easy’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G2) winner, Four Wheel Drive, has been sold to stand at one of Japan’s top farms, the Thoroughbred Breeders, Monbetsu, in the principal thoroughbred breeding region of Hokkaido.
A $525,000 yearling purchase, Four Wheel Drive had sound claims to being regarded as the fastest two-year-old anywhere in the world in 2019. He made a sensational debut in the $100,000 Rosie’s Stakes at Colonial Downs. There he took command turning for home, and quickly drew clear to score by 3¼ lengths, covering 5½ furlongs in a sensational new course record of 1:00.84, while defeating multiple stakes winners Newstome and Hypothesis, and stakes winner So Street.
The Futurity Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park saw another impressive display from Four Wheel Drive.Stalking a blistering early pace, he sped clear in the stretch to score by three lengths, accounting for stakes winners Embolden and Another Miracle. The Trakus timing system showed Four Wheel Drive recording remarkable splits for the six furlong test of :21.86, :44.43, :55.83 and an astonishing final time of 1:07.89.
The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2) saw Four Wheel Drive confirm himself as the fastest two-year-old around. In front from the off, he dominated throughout setting fractions of :21.55, :44.03 and :55.66, less than a second off the course record set by older horses in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1). Behind him came an international field, including A’Ali, a five-time graded stakes winner who has been among the fastest of his generation in Europe at two and three; graded stakes winner Dr. Simpson; multiple stakes winner Kimari; and five other stakes winners.
Four Wheel Drive is from the first crop of American Pharoah, one of the greats of the modern era. Champion of his generation at two, at three American Pharoah became the first horse to capture the Triple Crown and the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), earning Eclipse Awards as Horse of the Year and Champion Three-Year-Old Colt.
With his first crop, two-year-olds of 2019, American Pharoah earned the Leading Freshman Sire title. In addition to Four Wheel Drive, his first crop now includes 11 other graded stakes winners, including grade one winner Harvey’s Lil Goil and graded scorers Sweet Melania, Pista, Café Pharoah, Turned Aside and Maven. His second crop, two-year-olds of 2020 is head by European Champion Two-Year-Old Van Gogh.
Four Wheel Drive’s dam, Funfair, was a fast and precocious runner who took the Colleen Stakes by 3¼ lengths on only her second start. She is by More Than Ready, a brilliant two-year-old and grade one winning sprinter. A three-time Leading Sire of Two-Year-Olds in North America and Australia, More Than Ready is sire of over 200 stakes winners, and 29 grade one winners.
Out of half-sister to the dam of Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winner, Furthest Land, Funfair comes from a family that traces to the famous mare, Cherokee Rose, winner of the Coaching Club American Oaks, and granddam of Horse of the Year and major sire, Ack Ack, and Champion Sprinter Squirtle Squirt. Cherokee Rose is a sister to Sequoia, who took the Spinaway Stakes, and produced Secretariat’s great rival, Sham. She is also a sister to How, successful in both the Kentucky Oaks and Coaching Club American Oaks, dam of Broodmare of the Year Pocahontas; granddam of Champion racehorse and outstanding sire Tom Rolfe, of War Hawk II, Champion Sire in New Zealand and outstanding European sire, Alzao.