American Affair is out of Classy Anne (Orientor), who won six races. He is her second foal and has, like the first, won races. No earlier member of his first four dams had earned black-type. Classy Anne is a half-sister to three other winners, among them Killer Class (Kyllachy), a four-time winner and the dam of The Defiant, successful ten times, and Orient Class, successful seven times.

Second dam Class Wan (Safawan) won twice and is a half-sister to three other winners, including Compton Classic (Compton Place), an 11-time winner.

Third dam Ayr Classic (Local Suitor) won twice.

Further back the family includes the sire Salse (Topsider), winner of the Gr.1 Prix de la Foret, Carnauba (Noholme II), winner of the Gr.1 Oaks d'Italia and twice champion in Italy, El Villano (Danzante II), a multiple Group 1 winner and four times champion in Mexico, and Smart N Slick (Smarten), winner of the Grade 1 Sapling Stakes. It is also the family of Concorde Prince (Super Concorde), a three-time winner who was black-type-placed in the US and became a sire.