American Oaks

Turf race infobox
class = Grade 1
horse race = American Oaks


caption =
location = Hollywood Park Racetrack, Inglewood, California,
inaugurated = 2002; First G1 race in 2004
race type = Thoroughbred Fillies
website = [http://www.hollywoodpark.com/races/american_oaks/am_oaks_brochure07.pdf American Oaks 2007]
distance = 2000 meters (1 ¼ mile)
track = Turf, Left-handed
qualification = Invitational, 3-y-o & Up, Fillies
weight = Northern Hemisphere Fillies 121 lbs / Southern Hemisphere Fillies 125 lbs
purse = $750,000
bonuses =

The American Oaks at Hollywood Park Racetrack is a fillies only format turf horse race on the West Coast of the United States. Since its inception in 2002, it has strived to become a world class race by bringing in some of the best fillies from all over the world and having them race in California at Hollywood Park Racetrack. The winner of the Grade I race not only receives the winner's share of the US $750,000 purse, but also the prestige of winning a race which has quickly risen to world class status. The American Oaks is the eighth Grade 1 event on the Hollywood Park stakes schedule and shares the position of richest race on the stakes schedule with the historically important G1 Hollywood Gold Cup.

The American Oaks was first run as a G1 race in 2004. Prior to 2004, it was a listed stakes race.

* Purse: $750,000:* First Place: $405,000 to owner, $5,000 to jockey:* Second Place: $135000 to owner, $15,000 to jockey:* Third Place: $81,000 to owner, $9,000 to jockey

Winners of the American Oaks

Race history

2002

The inaugural running of the American Oaks ended with a disqualification, as Dublino was disqualified from first place to second after several incidents happened with Megahertz (GB) on the track.

After an inquiry, it was shown that Dublino had bumped Megahertz in the stretch dive, and then the whip of jockey Kent Desormeaux hit Megahertz twice in the face, making Megahertz end the race a half-length behind.

2003

Following a win in the Matriarch Stakes with Dress To Thrill (IRE), Dermot Weld pushed for another win at Hollywood Park, as Dimitrova under David R. Flores drove to a win at the second running of the American Oaks, defeating Sand Springs.

2004

With the race under new G1 status, the field of horses had a diversified mix, the most notable horse being Dance in the Mood (JPN), a descendant of famed racehorse Sunday Silence. However, the favorite came up short.

By trapping Dance in the Mood at the rail and staying outside, Ticker Tape (GB) then drove past Dance in the Mood, and securing the win.

Some people who have seen the race feel that Dance in the Mood's loss may have in part been her jockey's error in judgement. Her jockey, Yutaka Take did not seem aware of the location of the Hollywood Park turf course finish line, and made a move that was just a little bit too close to the finish line to result in victory.

2005

Horse racing history was made on July 3rd, 2005, when Japanese-bred Cesario, a granddaughter of Sunday Silence, trounced the 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), and avenged the second place finish of Japan's Dance in the Mood, the favorite in the 2004 edition of the race...who unfortunately lost to British-bred Ticker Tape by a length. Cesario's 2005 American Oaks win was big news in Japan, as Japanese media swarmed Cesario and her rider (famed Japanese jockey 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. The race was then broadcast live in Japan, where it was already Monday. Prior to the American Oaks, Cesario had won the Japanese Oaks, also known as the Yushun Himba ( [http://jra.jp/vi/doc/vg_g1bn/asx/05oaks_dsl.asx] ).

2006

Sent off as the third choice in a field of eight, Ocala Horses LLC's Wait A While drew off to an impressive 4 1/2-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.

References

* [http://www.hollywoodpark.com/races/american_oaks/am_oaks_brochure07.pdf American Oaks 2007 Brochure]
* [http://www.hollywoodpark.com/ Hollywood Park]