American Oaks Explained

Surface:Turf
Class:Grade 1
Horse Race:American Oaks
Location:Santa Anita Park
Arcadia, California, USA
Inaugurated:2002 (at Hollywood Park Racetrack as American Oaks Invitational)
Race Type:Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Website:Santa Anita Park
Distance: miles
Track:Left-handed
Weight:124 lbs.
Purse:$300,000 (2019)

The American Oaks is a Grade I American thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies over a distance of one and one-quarter miles on the turf held annually in late December Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, USA. The event currently offers a purse of US$300,000.

History

The inaugural running of the event was on 6 July 2002 as the American Oaks Invitational at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California with a purse of $500,000. The event was won by the British-bred filly Megahertz who was ridden by US Hall of Fame jockey Alex Solis and trained by US Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel on a disqualification of Dublino who had crossed the finishing line first. Dublino had bumped Megahertz in the stretch drive, and then the whip of jockey Kent Desormeaux hit Megahertz twice in the face, making Megahertz end the race a half-length behind.

The following year, 2003, with a purse increase to $750,000 the winner was the Irish-trained filly Dimitrova who had previously run third in the Irish 1,000 Guineas.[1]

In 2004 for the third running of the event, American Graded Stakes Committee classified the event with the highest status possible as Grade I.[2] As an invitational event Hollywood Park attempted to attract fillies from around the world. Entrants in the first time the event held Grade I status included fillies from Great Britain, Ireland, France, New Zealand and Japan. The Japanese filly Dance in the Mood finished second as the 7/5 favorite to the English-bred Ticker Tape. Horse racing history was made on July 3, 2005, when Japanese-bred Cesario, a granddaughter of Sunday Silence, trounced the 6/5 favored and previously undefeated Melhor Ainda, racing away with a sizable four-length margin of victory. Cesario became the first Japanese-bred and Japan-based racehorse in nearly a half-century to win a US stakes race (Hakuchikara won the Washington's Birthday Handicap at Santa Anita in 1959 upsetting US champion Round Table). Cesario's 2005 victory win was big news in Japan, as Japanese media swarmed Cesario and her rider, Yuichi Fukunaga in the winner's circle as the Japanese flag waved over an American holiday weekend. Before the race, Japan TV broadcast a one-hour-long TV show live from Hollywood Park about Cesario and her run at the American Oaks.[3]

In the 2006 running of the event Arindel Farms's Wait A While sent off as the 3/1 third choice in a field of eight, drew off to an impressive -length victory over 8-5 favorite Asahi Rising (JPN) and Arravale (CAN) in the invitational's fifth running. Trained by Eclipse Award winner Todd Pletcher, Wait A While was making just her second career start on the turf. Jockey Garrett Gomez stalked the early pace set by Attima (GB) and made a sweeping three-wide move around the second turn, clearing the field under mild left-handed urging. The connections had to wait several minutes for the race to be declared official after Alex Bisono, rider of Foxysox, alleged interference against Wait a While. Bisono claimed that Wait a While forced him to take up near the quarter-pole as the winner was making her sweeping move to the front of the pack. However, stewards disallowed it, saying Attima caused the traffic problem.[4]

By 2009 was the last running of the event as an Invitational. In 2010 purse money of the event was slashed to $250,000.

The 2011 running of the event produced a dead-heat between Nereid and Cambina which was the first in a Grade I at Hollywood Park since the Richard Mandella-trained pair of Beautiful Melody and Reluctant Guest finished on even terms in the Beverly Hills Handicap on June 30, 1990. It was also the first Grade I victory for both fillies.[5]

With the closure of Hollywood Park Racetrack in 2013 the event was moved to Santa Anita Racetrack.[6]

In 2014 and 2015 the event was scheduled in May and since 2016 in December usually on opening day of the Santa Anita Park Winter Meeting.

The race was originally run at miles but in 2016 was cut back to miles to prevent runners from having to race down the Santa Anita hillside turf course and cross the dirt main track. It returned to miles in 2017.[2]

In 2021 the race was transferred from the turf surface to dirt for first time in the history of its runnings, which automatically downgraded the status of the race from a Grade I event to a Grade II.[7] However, after review the Grade I status was reinstated.[8]

Records

Speed record:

Margins:

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Most wins by an owner :

Winners

YearWinnerJockeyTrainerOwnerDistanceTimePurseGradeRef
At Santa Anita Park
align=center 2023Anisette (GB)Umberto RispoliLeonard PowellEclipse Thoroughbred Partnersalign=center milesalign=center 2:00.22align=center $300,000align=center I[9]
align=center 2022Rhea Moon (IRE)Juan J. HernandezPhilip D'AmatoRockingham Ranch & Talla Racingalign=center milesalign=center 2:00.75align=center $301,000align=center I[10]
align=center 2021Queen GoddessJuan HernandezMichael McCarthyEclipse Thoroughbred Partners & TOLO Thoroughredsalign=center milesalign=center 2:04.72align=center $302,500align=center I [11]
align=center 2020DuopolyFlavien PratChad C. BrownKlaravich Stablesalign=center milesalign=center 2:01.70align=center $302,500align=center I[12]
align=center 2019Joe BravoRichard BaltasCraig & Josie Arntz, Donald Durando, Jerry McClanahan, Jules & Michael Iavarone, Jerry McClanahanalign=center milesalign=center 2:01.70align=center $301,053align=center I[13]
align=center 2018CompetitionofideasJoel RosarioChad C. BrownKlaravich Stablesalign=center milesalign=center 1:59.77align=center $301,035align=center I[14]
align=center 2017Daddys Lil DarlingMike E. SmithKenneth G. McPeekNormandy Farmalign=center milesalign=center 2:00.11align=center $301,380align=center I[15]
align=center 2016Decked OutHead of Plains Partners, Big Chief Racing & Gene A. Vossalign=center milesalign=center 1:47.86align=center $302,415align=center I[16]
align=center 2015Spanish QueenBrice BlancRichard BaltasHarry Bederian, Harout Kamberian & Hagop Nakkashianalign=center milesalign=center 2:01.93align=center $400,250align=center I[17]
align=center 2014Room ServiceShaun BridgmohanWayne M. CatalanoGary & Mary Westalign=center milesalign=center 2:01.28align=center $350,750align=center I[18]
At Hollywood Park
align=center 2013EmollientMike E. SmithWilliam I. MottJuddmonte Farmsalign=center milesalign=center 2:02.38align=center $350,750align=center I[19]
align=center 2012Lady of ShamrockMike E. SmithJohn W. SadlerHronis Racingalign=center milesalign=center 2:03.19align=center $350,000align=center I[20]
align=center rowspan=22011Cambina (IRE)Martin GarciaJeff BondeAnthony Bilich, Charles Cline, George Schmitt, Dennis Raihill et alalign=center rowspan=2 milesalign=center rowspan=2 2:01.46align=center rowspan=2 $250,000align=center rowspan=2 I[21]
NereidJoseph TalamoJohn ShirreffsEric N. Kronfeld
align=center 2010HarmoniousMartin GarciaJohn ShirreffsPam and Marty Wygodalign=center milesalign=center 2:01.77align=center $250,000align=center I[22]
align=center 2009Gozzip GirlKent J. DesormeauxThomas AlbertraniFarnsworth Stables align=center milesalign=center 2:00.22align=center $700,000align=center I[23]
align=center 2008Pure ClanJulien R. LeparouxRobert E. HolthusLewis G. Lakin, IEAH Stables & Pegasus Holding Group Stablealign=center milesalign=center 2:00.50align=center $750,000align=center I[24]
align=center 2007Panty RaidEdgar S. PradoTodd A. PletcherGlencrest Farm LLCalign=center milesalign=center 2:01.53align=center $750,000align=center I[25]
align=center 2006Wait A WhileGarrett K. GomezTodd A. PletcherArindel Farmsalign=center milesalign=center 1:59.38align=center $750,000align=center I[26]
align=center 2005Cesario (JPN)Yuichi FukunagaKatsuhiko SumiiU Carrot Farmalign=center milesalign=center 1:59.03align=center $750,000align=center I[27]
align=center 2004Ticker Tape (GB)Kent J. DesormeauxJames M. CassidyJim Ford, Deron Pearson & Jack Sweesyalign=center milesalign=center 2:01.54align=center $750,000align=center I[28]
align=center 2003DimitrovaDavid R. FloresDermot K. WeldJoseph Higginsalign=center milesalign=center 1:59.98align=center $750,000align=center Listed [29]
align=center 2002†Megahertz (GB)Alex O. SolisRobert J. FrankelMichael Bello align=center milesalign=center 2:00:46align=center $500,000align=center Listed [30]
Legend:

Notes:
† In the 2002 inaugural running, Dublino was first past the post but was disqualified for interference in the straight and Megahertz (GB) was declared the winner.

See also

List of American and Canadian Graded races

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Entenmann's Irish 1,000 Guineas (Group 1) (Fillies) . Racing Post . 9 December 2021 . 25 May 2003.
  2. Web site: American Oaks Profile. www.equibase.com. 21 June 2017. en.
  3. Web site: Japanese import Cesario wins American Oaks . ESPN.com . . 9 December 2021 . 4 July 2005.
  4. Web site: Shinar . Jack . Pletcher's 'Wait' Pays Off in American Oaks . Bloodhorse.com . 9 December 2021 . 2 July 2006.
  5. Web site: Shinar . Jack . Cambina, Nereid in American Oaks Dead-Heat . BloodHorse.com . 9 December 2021 . 16 July 2011.
  6. Web site: AMERICAN OAKS STAKES - MULTIPLE TRACKS . Thoroughbred Pedigree Online . 2021 . 9 December 2021 .
  7. Web site: Queen Goddess Rules in Off-the-Turf American Oaks . truenicks.com . 28 December 2021.
  8. Web site: King . Byron . American Oaks, Mathis Mile Have Grades Restored; The Dec. 26 San Gabriel Stakes (G3) remained downgraded. . 31 December 2021 . 30 December 2021.
  9. Web site: 2023 American Oaks Grade 1 - (race 5) . Equibase . 26 December 2023 . 27 December 2023.
  10. Web site: 2022 American Oaks Grade 1 - (race 11) . Equibase . 26 December 2022 . 27 December 2022.
  11. Web site: 2021 American Oaks Grade 1 - (race 11) . Equibase . 26 December 2021.
  12. Web site: 2020 American Oaks Grade 1 - (race 9) . Equibase . 26 December 2020 . 9 December 2021.
  13. Web site: 2019 American Oaks Grade 1 - (race 6) . Equibase . 28 December 2019 . 9 December 2021.
  14. Web site: 2018 American Oaks Grade 1 - (race 8) . Equibase . 29 December 2018 . 9 December 2021.
  15. Web site: 2017 American Oaks Grade 1 - (race 7) . Equibase . 30 December 2017 . 9 December 2021.
  16. Web site: 2016 American Oaks Grade 1 - (race 8) . Equibase . 31 December 2016 . 9 December 2021.
  17. Web site: 2015 American Oaks Grade 1 - (race 5) . Equibase . 30 May 2015 . 9 December 2021.
  18. Web site: 2014 American Oaks Grade 1 - (race 8) . Equibase . 31 May 2014 . 9 December 2021.
  19. Web site: 2013 American Oaks Grade 1 - (race 9) . Equibase . 13 July 2013 . 9 December 2021.
  20. Web site: 2012 American Oaks Stakes Grade 1 - (race 8) . Equibase . 14 July 2012 . 9 December 2021.
  21. Web site: 2011 American Oaks Stakes Grade 1 - (race 6) . Equibase . 16 July 2011 . 9 December 2021.
  22. Web site: 2010 American Oaks Stakes Grade 1 - (race 8) . Equibase . 3 July 2010 . 9 December 2021.
  23. Web site: 2009 American Oaks Invitational Stakes Grade 1 - (race 8) . Equibase . 5 July 2009 . 9 December 2021.
  24. Web site: 2008 American Oaks Invitational Stakes Grade 1 - (race 9) . Equibase . 5 July 2008 . 9 December 2021.
  25. Web site: 2007 American Oaks Invitational Stakes Grade 1 - (race 10) . Equibase . 7 July 2007 . 9 December 2021.
  26. Web site: 2006 American Oaks Invitational Stakes Grade 1 - (race 8) . Equibase . 2 July 2006 . 9 December 2021.
  27. Web site: 2005 American Oaks Invitational Stakes Grade 1 - (race 8) . Equibase . 3 July 2005 . 9 December 2021.
  28. Web site: 2004 American Oaks Invitational Grade 1 - (race 6) . Equibase . 3 July 2004 . 9 December 2021.
  29. Web site: 2003 American Oaks Invitational Listed - (race 5) . Equibase . 5 July 2003 . 9 December 2021.
  30. Web site: 2002 American Oaks Invitational Listed - (race 7) . Equibase . 6 July 2002 . 9 December 2021.

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