Oaklawn Park: American Beauty Stakes Preview

Friday, Jan. 31, 2025

Coady Photo

Compiled by Robert Yates

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen bids for a record-extending sixth American Beauty Stakes victory when he starts program favorite Benedetta in the $150,000 sprint for older fillies and mares Saturday at Oaklawn.

Probable post time for the six-furlong American Beauty, the ninth of 10 races, is 4:43 p.m. (Central). Racing begins at 12:30 p.m.

Benedetta (8-5 on the morning line) is seeking her fourth consecutive victory. The 4-year-old daughter of 2018 Oaklawn Handicap winner City of Light will be making her 2025 debut after climbing the class ladder to close 2024.

She won a seven-furlong allowance race Sept. 15 at Churchill Downs, a six-furlong second-level allowance race Nov. 6 at Churchill Downs and the $200,000 Cheryl S. White Memorial Stakes at 6 furlongs Nov. 25 at Mahoning Valley.

Although Benedetta has five published workouts at Oaklawn since Dec. 22, Asmussen noted Friday morning that he’s had to dodge severe winter weather in January, which has cost Oaklawn more than 10 days of training. Hot Springs received approximately 3 inches of rain Thursday.

“We gave her a little freshening off of two really good races and anxious to get her back running,” said Asmussen, who trains Benedetta for Kaleem Shah. “Obviously, training schedule has not been ideal in the month of January here, but most of them are facing the same circumstances.”

Benedetta is scheduled to break from post 7 in the projected seven-horse field under Keith Asmussen, Oaklawn’s second-leading rider last season.

Steve Asmussen won the American Beauty in 2001 with My Brent’s Diamond, 2004 (Eternal Cup), 2005 (Souris), 2006 (More Moonlight) and 2009 (Rated Fiesty). Asmussen holds Oaklawn records for career stakes victories (115), single-season stakes victories (11 in 2023-2024) and consecutive seasons with a stakes victory (29 through 2023-2024).

The American Beauty also drew Fibber and Tanya Showers – both trained by Chris Hartman – Pharoah’s Heart, Moonlit Lady, First Hill and Taxed.

Taxed, a Grade 2 winner for trainer Randy Morse, is the 5-2 second choice in the program.

Taxed is being wheeled back in 13 days off a third-place finish behind Corningstone in the $150,000 Pippin Stakes for older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles Jan. 19 at Oaklawn. Taxed concluded 2024 with a runner-up finish behind Corningstone in the $150,000 Mistletoe Stakes at 1 mile Dec. 14 at Oaklawn.

The Pippin marked the eighth consecutive route race for Taxed, a 5-year-old daughter of Collected. She will be sprinting for the first time since a powerful allowance victory at six furlongs last March at Oaklawn to open her 2024 campaign.

“I’m not even 100 percent sure we’re going to run her,” Morse said Friday morning. “We’ll see. See what the track’s like today. I mean, her best races have been short. She just isn’t finishing going long.”

Fibber exits a runner-up finish, beaten three-quarters of a length, in the $150,000 Poinsettia Stakes at 5 ½ furlongs Dec. 21 at Oaklawn. She ran fifth behind Benedetta in the Cheryl S. White Memorial.