Pioneerof the Nile died three years ago, at the age of 13, but in that relatively short life, he accomplished much. A Grade 1 winner at ages 2 and 3, Pioneerof the Nile delivered the sport’s long-awaited Triple Crown winner, siring 2015 hero American Pharoah. Still represented on the track by his final crops, Pioneerof the Nile also left behind a bevy of sons to carry on his legacy. That was apparent on Saturday’s busy day of racing nationwide, as Pioneerof the Nile and three of his sons recorded stakes winners, including capturing a pair of Kentucky Derby points races. American Pharoah, who stands at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud, recorded a pair of graded stakes winners Saturday at Santa Anita. Forbidden Kingdom, from the stallion’s third crop, passed a two-turn test with a runaway victory in the Grade 2 San Felipe that placed him squarely on the Kentucky Derby trail. Later in the day, As Time Goes By, from American Pharoah’s first crop, scored her first Grade 1 victory in the Beholder Mile. It was the mare’s fifth graded stakes victory for her owners from the Coolmore group, and third in a row. “I talked them into another year with her. She gets better with age,” said trainer Bob Baffert, who also conditioned American Pharoah. “These Pharoah horses are fast. It’s a great day for Pharoah horses. American Pharoah has meant so much to racing.” After emerging early in his stud career with a number of strong turf horses, American Pharoah’s four graded stakes winners this year – Grade 1 winners As Time Goes By and Cafe Pharoah and Grade 2 winners Forbidden Kingdom and Merneith – have all come on dirt. He currently sits fourth on the North American general sire list. American Pharoah, also the Eclipse Award champion 2-year-old of 2014, was the leading freshman sire of 2019. Another Eclipse champion juvenile by Pioneerof the Nile, Classic Empire, finished fourth on last year’s freshman sire list for Coolmore, with Midnight Storm also in the top 20. Classic Empire followed up with a big day for his first-crop 3-year-olds on Saturday. Morello captured the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct to remain unbeaten. “He had to use a little more of the tank today and use another gear, but he showed us that he’s got it,” said Dave Lyon of co-owner Blue Lion Thoroughbreds. “I don’t want to look past this race – we want to celebrate this – but we’re thinking he can go longer.” Also on Saturday, Classic Empire’s Classy Edition finished second in the Grade 2 Davona Dale Stakes at Gulfstream. Cairo Prince was the third son of Pioneerof the Nile represented by a stakes winner on the weekend, as Dowagic Chief won the Black Gold Stakes on Saturday at Fair Grounds. Iberville, by Pioneerof the Nile, finished third. The late stallion was not shut out on the weekend, as his son Mine That Star won his second straight stakes race at Sunland Park, taking the Curribot Handicap on Saturday. The next day, the stallion’s Under the Stars, winner of the Grade 2 Santa Ynez last out, finished second in the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel. Pioneerof the Nile also is represented so far in 2022 by Grade 3 winner Canoodling and stakes winners Beatbox and Cabo Spirit. Pioneerof the Nile, who was standing at WinStar Farm, died in March 2019 of a suspected cardiac event. His own sire, the prolific stallion Empire Maker, died following an illness in January 2020 at Gainesway Farm, at age 20. That means the final crop for both stallions will be juveniles of this season. Empire Maker bred a full book of mares in his final season in 2019, covering 126 mares, according to The Jockey Club’s Report of Mares Bred. Pioneerof the Nile covered 48 mares before his death partway through the season. From these final crops, Empire Maker was represented by 62 yearlings sold for an average of $114,895 last year; Pioneerof the Nile was represented by 24 sold for $160,917. At next week’s Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s March sale of 2-year-olds in training, the season kickoff, Empire Maker has six juveniles in the catalog, and Pioneerof the Nile has two. Pioneerof the Nile has one in the boutique Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream catalog. ◗ As Time Goes By became the third Grade 1 winner for her dam, the blue hen Take Charge Lady. The Dehere mare won eight graded stakes herself, including three Grade 1 races, for earnings of more than $2.4 million. She is the dam of eight winners from nine starters, also including 2013 Eclipse Award champion 3-year-old male Will Take Charge, who earned more than $3.9 million; and millionaire Take Charge Indy, winner of the 2012 Florida Derby. As Time Goes By, her final foal, is nearing millionaire status, with earnings of $955,600. Take Charge Lady, the 2013 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year, also is the dam of Charming, who in turn produced Eclipse Award champion Take Charge Brandi and multiple Grade 1 winner Omaha Beach.