The $300,000 American Oaks (G1) began as the American Oaks Invitational at the now defunct Hollywood Park. The inaugural edition took place on July 6, 2002, with an aim to attract top international talent and establish itself as a premier event for sophomore fillies.
In its early years, the race quickly gained prominence, elevating to Grade I status by 2004 as it drew competitors from Europe, Japan, and beyond. Hollywood Park hosted the race until its closure after the 2013 season, at which point it moved to Santa Anita Park, where it has since become a highlight of the track’s opening day card in late December.
Among the race’s most memorable winners during its Hollywood Park era was Cesario in 2005, a Japan-bred filly who delivered a historic four-length victory over the previously undefeated favorite Melhor Ainda, marking the first U.S. stakes win by a Japan-based horse in nearly half a century and sparking massive celebration in Japan with national media coverage.
The 2006 edition saw Wait a While dominate with a 4 1/2-length margin, the largest in race history, en route to her Eclipse Award as champion 3-year-old filly.
Other standout winners at Hollywood Park include Ireland-trained Dimitrova (2003), England-bred Ticker Tape (2004), and a rare dead-heat in 2011 between Nereid and Cambina.
Since moving to Santa Anita, the race has continued to produce notable performances, including Anisette (2023), a England-bred filly who impressed with her tactical speed; Rhea Moon (2022), an Irish import who surged late for a head victory; and She Feels Pretty (2024) a year ago, who drew off convincingly as the heavy favorite after shipping from the East Coast. These winners, often international shippers or emerging stars, have cemented the American Oaks’ reputation for highlighting elite turf talent and delivering dramatic finishes that resonates across the racing world.
On Sunday, a full field is expected to head postward, even with the predicted softer going due to the heavy rains the area endured the past few days.
Jonathan Thomas trains a strong trio for Augustin Stables, starting with Will Then, who is the second choice on the morning line at 7-2. The daughter of War of Will is a multiple stakes winner who has been a little off form since winning the China Doll Stakes at Santa Anita earlier after capturing the Jimmy Durante Stakes (G3) at Del Mar as a 2-year-old.
Her best most-recent effort was third in the San Clemente Handicap (G2), and her tactical speed suits the early downhill setup as she typically races mid-pack early, rallies from off the pace, and finishes strongly in the stretch. This style suits the American Oaks distance well, as she has experience at routes, including a recent stakes win. Top jockey Flavien Prat aboard signals this filly is ready for a top performance.
From Europe is Ireland-bred Atsila, the 5-2 morning-line favorite who makes her stateside debut for trainer Richard Baltas. The Group 1-placed filly by Phoenix of Spain, who will be ridden by Tiago Pereira, brings a ton of class and a lot of upside. Her running style is that of a stalker/closer and in her European races, she has shown the ability to settle off the pace and finish strongly, especially in Group 1 company at shorter distances. The American Oaks is at 1 ¼ miles on turf, so her pedigree and experience suggest she’ll likely sit mid-pack early, conserving energy for a late rally.
As Catch Can, also from the Thomas barn for Augustin Stables, enters off a rallying win in the Old Dominion Oaks at Colonial Downs in September and has strong prior efforts, including a second in the Honeymoon Stakes (G3) over this course and the Bourbonette Oaks over the synthetic at Turfway Park. Her running style is typically a stalker/closer-she rates comfortably mid-pack early, saves ground, and rallies strongly in the stretch. She’s shown good closing kick and high-speed figures. Her 8-1 morning line may be a blessing if she’s overlooked at post time.
Cliffs makes her stakes debut for trainer Cherie DeVaux, who won this race last year with She Feels Pretty. She is coming off solid wins at Churchill Downs and Saratoga and her stalking running style with strong closing ability in the stretch makes her a favorable candidate in this field with an expected strong early pace. She has shown versatility but excels when positioned just off the leaders, often rallying late on the turf. This filly shipped early to Santa Anita for the race and posted a nice work last week. Jockey Jose Ortiz rides.
Ambaya, Thomas’s third runner, is by Ghostzapper and out of a Distorted Humor mare, which suggests potential for good speed and versatility on turf. She has shown consistent form but lacks a standout stakes performance, though she was third in the Christiana Stakes at Delaware Park in her only stakes appearance. Her most recent race was a fourth-place finish against older fillies going a mile on turf at Del Mar on Nov. 24. She seems to be a mid-pack stalker who closes well in turf routes. Jockey Antonio Fresu will ride her, and she’s listed at 8-1.
A Thousand Miles is a notable contender off an 8 ½-length victory in the Zia Park Oaks, though that race’s depth has been questioned. She is a versatile runner with tactical speed; she typically shows early speed and races prominently (often pressing the pace or stalking just off the leaders), but she has also shown the ability to rate kindly and close when needed. Wins in the Arizona Oaks and Panthers S., and a second in the Autumn Miss Stakes (G3) show she can sit close or make a sustained move.
British import Take a Breath is trained by Mark Glatt and will be ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr. for the first time. Her running style leans toward stalking or mid-pack with a strong closing kick.
In her most recent races, even dating back to her UK form before shipping to the U.S., but she has shown versatility and typically establishes her position off the early pace before rallying late. She has posted solid speed figures and is earned strong handicap wins in Great Britain before her U.S. debut, though she still seeks a win stateside.
“Maybe her last race was a little disappointing, but she’s had zero luck since she’s been here,” Glatt said. “(In the allowance), she had a terribly bad trip. She had to check extremely hard, and at that point in the race she looked like she was an easy winner.”
Totally Justified makes her first start for trainer Anna Meah and new owner Payson Stud after being purchased for $775,000 at the recent Fasig-Tipton November sale. The Justify filly is winless in six starts this year and has had a break since a flat sixth-place finish in the Valley View Stakes at Keeneland two months ago. She has shown versatility but tends to race near the front or mid-pack, and in her standout win in the 2024 P.G. Johnson Stakes at Saratoga, she broke sharply, took a stalking position early, and responded well when challenged in the stretch to hold off closers. In other starts, she has been competitive from off the pace, but she is not a deep closer.
Slick, an Ireland-bred from trainer Phil D’Amato’s barn (who won this race in 2022 with Rhea Moon), looks to rebound after mixed graded efforts but with a strong maiden and first-level allowance wins. In her most recent start, the Autumn Miss at Santa Anita, the Oasis Dream filly raced in mid-pack throughout and finished fifth as the beaten favorite. Showing that her running style is typically mid-pack or stalking from a few lengths back. She will be ridden by Umberto Rispoli and is a longshot in this spot for good reason.
Leonard Powell, who saddled Anisette to the win here in 2023, sends Ribbons and Resolve. Either is capable of improving on turf but sitting on the outside for a win.
The picks: 1 Will Then 2 Atsila 3 As Catch Can
1 A Thousand Miles (Mike Smith, Vann Belvoir), 30-1
2 Will Then (Flavien Prat, Jonathan Thomas), 7-2
3 Cliffs (Jose Ortiz, Cherie DeVaux), 6-1
4 Ambaya (Antonio Fresu, Jonathan Thomas), 8-1
5 Slick (Umberto Rispoli, Phil D’Amato), 20-1
6 Take A Breath (Irad Ortiz Jr., Mark Glatt), 15-1
7 Resolve (Diego Herrera, Leonard Powell), 30-1
8 Totally Justified (Juan Hernandez, Anna Meah), 5-1
9 As Catch Can (Joel Rosario, Jonathan Thomas), 8-1
10 Atsila (Tiago Pereira, Richard Baltas), 5-2
11 Ribbons (Mirco Dimuro, Leonard Powell), 15-1
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
