American Oaks
| Grade 1 race | |
 | |
| Location | Santa Anita Park Arcadia, California, USA (relocated from the now closed Hollywood Park Racetrack Inglewood, California) |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 2002 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
| Website | Santa Anita Park |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1+1⁄4 miles (2,000 meters) |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Qualification | Invitational, Fillies age Three |
| Weight | Northern Hemisphere Fillies 121 lbs / Southern Hemisphere Fillies 125 lbs |
| Purse | $400,000 (2015) |
The American Oaks Invitational Stakes is a Thoroughbred horse race run annually in early June at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, USA (moved from early July when it was run at the now closed Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California). Open to three-year-old fillies, it is contested at a distance of one and one-quarter miles on turf.
Since its inception in 2002, it has striven to become a world class race by bringing in some of the best fillies from all over the world, offering a purse of US $400,000.
The American Oaks was first run as a Grade I event in 2004. Prior to 2004, it was a listed stakes race.
Winners
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 drive, 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 3, 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 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 ([1]).
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.
2011
The dead-heat between Nereid and Cambina 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.