AMERICAN OAKS ON TAP AT SANTA ANITA

Santa Anita opened their 82nd season of racing on Boxing Day but the highlight of the first week was the Grade One American Oaks for three year old fillies at 1¼ miles on the turf. The race used to be run in the summer at Hollywood Park, but Santa Anita in their infinite wisdom thought December was a better bet. The result is a $300,000 race lacking in star power and the eight horse field in this year’s version proved that.
The winner was the Chad Brown shipper Competitionofideas at the generous odds of 5-1 following yet another perfect last to first ride from star jockey Joel Rosario. The daughter of Speightstown had only won a maiden and starter allowance race before this one, so now her value as a broodmare will soar. Speightstown has the ability to produce horses who can win on any surface and at any distance, and he stands for $80,000 this upcoming breeding season.
On opening day the highlight of the four stakes was the Malibu Stakes for three year olds and the race resulted in a return of form for Bob Baffert’s McKinzie who was coming off a disastrous performance in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. There he finished eleventh behind Accelerate.
The Grade One La Brea Stakes should have resulted in another win for the unbeaten Dream Tree but she finished dead last behind the winner, Spiced Perfection, an improving daughter of the up and coming California stallion Smiling Tiger.
The $200,000 Mathis Brothers Mile was taken by the odds on favorite River Boyne who has had a great year in California. The Irish bred son of Dandy Man came from way off the pace to capture his third stakes victory on the year, and if he sticks around will be a force to be reckoned with next year.
The $300,000 San Antonio Stakes was taken by a newcomer in the John Sadler barn called Gift Box, formerly trained by Chad Brown. He pipped the Breeders Cup Dirt Mile winner Battle of Midway, to record his first stakes win. The son of Twirling Candy had previously raced exclusively in New York.