Grade I American Oaks Attracts Contentious Field Of 11 Including Trio For Thomas

By Victor Ryan —-

GRADE I AMERICAN OAKS ATTRACTS CONTENTIOUS FIELD OF 11 INCLUDING TRIO FOR THOMAS, GROUP I-PLACED EUROPEAN INVADER ATSILA FOR BALTAS ON OPENING DAY AT SANTA ANITA NEXT SUNDAY

The traditional day-after-Christmas start to the Santa Anita Classic Meet was postponed to Sunday due to expected inclement weather in the area

ARCADIA, CA (Dec. 21, 2025)—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.

As Catch Can rallied from mid-pack to score at 16-1 in the 1 1/8 miles Old Dominion Oaks for her first stakes victory on Sept. 6. Three starts back at Santa Anita in May, As Catch Can rallied to be beaten just three-quarters of a length in the GIII Honeymoon at 1 1/8 miles. Also campaigned by Augustin Stable, the daughter of Mo Town comes in with a record of 11: 3-3-1 and $320,395 in earnings. She’ll be ridden by Joel Rosario for the first time.

Atsila seeking her first Grade I success stateside for trainer Richard Baltas, Astila contested four consecutive Group Is in Europe—all at one mile—with her best finish being a third in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown in September.

By Phoenix of Spain, Atsila is campaigned by Barry Fowler, Medallion Racing and Parland Thoroughbreds. She has a record of 7: 2-0-1 with $107,013 in earnings. Santa Anita-based jockey Tiago Pereira has the call aboard Atsila.

Slick will look to make amends for trainer Phil D’Amato after being the beaten favorite in the GIII Autumn Miss for sophomore fillies going a mile on turf on Oct. 26 at Santa Anita. Sent off the 9-5 choice by bettors that day, Slick raced in mid-pack throughout and was never a factor when checking in fifth. Prior to that effort, the daughter of Oasis Dream was a sharp allowance winner at Santa Anita in September also going a mile on turf.

Slick is owned by Little Red Feather, Sterling Stables and Marsha Naify, She’ll have regular rider Umberto Rispoli aboard.

Also looming as a key contender is Ribbons, who’ll be making her stakes debut for trainer Leonard Powell. The daughter of Liam’s Map is likely to be the pacesetter. Both of her wins have come while racing on the lead, which includes a first-level allowance victory going a mile on turf Oct. 30 at Del Mar. Owned by Sondereker Racing, Ribbons will have regular rider Mirco Demuro in the irons.

THE GI AMERICAN OAKS WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 11 of 11 Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

A Thousand Miles—Mike Smith—124
Will Then—Flavien Prat—124
Cliffs—Jose Ortiz—124
Ambaya—Antonio Fresu—124
Slick—Umberto Rispoli–124
Take A Breath—Irad Ortiz Jr.—124
Resolve—Diego Herrera—124
Totally Justified—Juan Hernandez—124
As Catch Can—Joel Rosario—124
Atsila—Tiago Pereira—124
Ribbons—Mirco Demuro—124

First Sunday is 11 a.m. PT. Admission gates open at 9 a.m.

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