Grade I American Oaks Attracts Contentious Field Of 11 On Opening Day At Santa Anita Next Sunday

Adding to a dynamite 11-race opening day program at Santa Anita Park next Sunday is the Grade I, $300,000 American Oaks that features a highly competitive field of 11 sophomore fillies set to go 1 ¼ miles on turf. Originally scheduled for this Friday, the Oaks and the rest of Santa Anita’s blockbuster opening day card were pushed back to Sunday due to a series of rainstorms that are expected to hit the area this week.

Trainer Jonathan Thomas has three entered including multiple stakes winner Will Then and As Catch Can, recent winner of the Old Dominion Oaks at Colonial Downs.

Will Then is back in exclusively with 3-year-olds after trying older horses for the first time in the GIII Red Carpet going 1 3/8 miles at Del Mar on Nov. 23. In the Red Carpet, Will Then found herself in the uncustomary position of dueling on the lead. She held a slight lead all the way around before finally flattening out inside the final furlong, finishing two lengths back of winning stablemate Mrs. Astor. This time around, Will Then gets a slight cutback in distance while also luring the services of top jockey Flavien Prat for the first time.

By War of Will, Will Then is 9: 3-0-1 with $203,164 in earnings for owner-breeder Augustin Stable.