The American Oaks (Grade I) is set to take place at Santa Anita Park on December 26, 2024. This prestigious race offers a purse of $300,000 and covers a distance of one and one-fourth miles on turf. It is open to three-year-old fillies and is a key race in Santa Anita’s Winter Meet.
Race Details:
- Purse: $300,000
- Distance: One and one-fourth miles (Turf)
- Eligibility: Three-year-old fillies
- Weight: 124 lbs
- Entry Fee: $2,250 with an additional $2,250 to start
- Winners’ Share: $180,000
- Second Place: $60,000
- Third Place: $36,000
- Fourth Place: $18,000
- Fifth Place: $6,000
- Trophy: Presented to the winning owner
Contenders:
- Omaha Girl (KY) – Jockey: Tyler Baze, Trainer: George Papaprodromou, Odds: 30/1
- Sakura Blossom (KY) – Jockey: Luis Saez, Trainer: Laura Powell, Odds: 30/1
- Medoro (KY) – Jockey: Antonio Fresu, Trainer: Peter Eurton, Odds: 6/1
- Kathynmarissa (KY) – Jockey: Lanfranco Dettori, Trainer: Richard E. Dutrow Jr., Odds: 4/1
- Watchtower (KY) – Jockey: Diego A Herrera, Trainer: Richard Baltas, Odds: 10/1
- Strutting (GB) – Jockey: Rafael Gonzalez, Trainer: Michael W. McCarthy, Odds: 15/1
- Vibez (KY) – Jockey: Juan J. Hernandez, Trainer: Peter Eurton, Odds: 20/1
- She Feels Pretty (KY) – Jockey: John R. Velazquez, Trainer: Cherie DeVaux, Odds: 7/5
- Baltic Fire (KY) – Jockey: Santiago Carmona, Trainer: Steve Callaghan, Odds: 30/1
- Chatalas (KY) – Jockey: Flavien Prat, Trainer: Michael Glatt, Odds: 15/1
- Mizzyaan (KY) – Jockey: Umberto Rispoli, Trainer: Michael W. McCarthy, Odds: 20/1
- Valence (KY) – Jockey: Kazushi Kimura, Trainer: Tom J Garrett, Odds: 30/1
- Rashmi (KY) – Jockey: Joel Rosario, Trainer: James Thomas, Odds: 12/1
Analysis:
- She Feels Pretty: The morning-line favorite with odds of 7/5, She Feels Pretty is trained by Cherie DeVaux and ridden by Hall of Famer John Velazquez. She recently won the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland and is expected to be a strong contender.
- Kathynmarissa: With odds of 4/1, Kathynmarissa is trained by Richard E. Dutrow Jr. and ridden by Frankie Dettori. She has shown strong performances and could be a surprise contender.
- Medoro: Trained by Peter Eurton and ridden by Antonio Fresu, Medoro has odds of 6/1 and has shown potential to perform well in this competitive field.
- Watchtower: With odds of 10/1, Watchtower is trained by Richard Baltas and ridden by Diego Herrera. She has shown promise and could be a strong contender.
- Strutting: Trained by Michael W. McCarthy and ridden by Rafael Gonzalez, Strutting has odds of 15/1 and has shown potential but needs to step up against this competitive field.
- Vibez: With odds of 20/1, Vibez is trained by Peter Eurton and ridden by Juan J. Hernandez. She has shown potential but is considered an underdog.
- Baltic Fire: Trained by Steve Callaghan and ridden by Santiago Carmona, Baltic Fire has odds of 30/1. She has shown potential but needs to step up against this competitive field.
- Chatalas: With odds of 15/1, Chatalas is trained by Michael Glatt and ridden by Flavien Prat. She has shown potential and could be a strong contender.
- Mizzyaan: Trained by Michael W. McCarthy and ridden by Umberto Rispoli, Mizzyaan has odds of 20/1. She has shown potential but is considered an underdog.
- Valence: With odds of 30/1, Valence is trained by Tom J Garrett and ridden by Kazushi Kimura. She has shown potential but needs to step up against this competitive field.
- Rashmi: Trained by James Thomas and ridden by Joel Rosario, Rashmi has odds of 12/1. She has shown potential and could be a strong contender.
The American Oaks promises to be an exciting race with a mix of top contenders and potential upsets. Will She Feels Pretty live up to expectations, or will another horse rise to the occasion?
