Seven Oaklawn-raced horses win weekend stakes races

American Anthem headlined seven Oaklawn Park-raced horses to win stakes races over the weekend with a first-place finish in the Grade 2

$250,000 San Carlos Saturday at Santa Anita Park in California.

American Anthem ($3.80) edged another Oaklawn-raced horse, St. Joe Bay, by a head in the

7-furlong event for his Hall of Fame connections – jockey Mike Smith and trainer Bob Baffert.

American Anthem finished 10th as the favorite in the Grade 2 $900,000 Rebel Stakes for 3-yearolds in 2017 at Oaklawn. Saturday’s victory, his fifth in 10 career starts, increased his career earnings to $673,945.

Favored at 4-5 in the eight-horse field, American Anthem covered 7 furlongs over a fast track in 1:22.12. The son of 2012 Arkansas Derby winner Bodemeister, also trained by Baffert, was coming off of an allowance victory June 1 at Churchill Downs in his 4-year-old debut.

St. Joe Bay, who went off 42-1, was winless in four starts this year at Oaklawn, including a fifth in the $125,000 King Cotton Stakes for older sprinters Feb. 3, for trainer Peter Miller. St. Joe Bay was making his first start since being claimed for $62,500 by owner Hronis Racing LLC and trainer John Sadler May 28 at Santa Anita.

Hronis and Sadler teamed to win Oaklawn’s Grade 1 $600,000 Apple Blossom Handicap for older fillies and mares in 2017 with champion Stellar Wind.

Other Oaklawn-raced horses to win stakes races last weekend were Adore in the $75,000 Spotted Horse Friday at Evangeline Downs Louisiana; Hotshot Anna in the Grade $100,000 Chicago Handicap Saturday at Arlington Park in Illinois; Astroll in the park in the $75,000 Roxelana Overnight Saturday at Churchill Downs in Kentucky; Sticks state ly dude in the $75,000 Edward Evans Saturday at Laurel Park in Maryland; Creative Art in the $50,000 Dark Star Cup Saturday at Canterbury Park in Minnesota; and Zack Ridge Road in the $27,500 Golden Boy Saturday at Assiniboia Downs in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Hotshot Anna, second in an April 4 allowance race at Oaklawn, set a 7-furlong track record (1:20.93) in her 5 ¾-length victory over Arlington’s all-weather surface. She paid $11.60.

Adore ($4.40) broke her maiden at the 2016 Oaklawn meeting for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. Multiple Oaklawn allowance winner Dazzling Gem finished second in the $100,000 Evangeline Mile Saturday at Evangeline Downs.

Astroll in the park ($9.80) finished third in a March 16 allowance race at Oaklawn in her 2018 debut. Oaklawn-raced Vertical Oak ran third in the $75,000 Roxelana Overnight Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Sticks state ly dude ($3.60) ran three times this year at Oaklawn, including finishing unplaced in the $125,000 Fifth Season Stakes for older horses Jan. 12. Creative Art ($26) ran six times last year at Oaklawn.

Another Multiple Oaklawn allowance winner, Malibu Max, ran third in the $50,000 Dark Star

Cup Stakes Saturday at Canterbury Park. Oaklawn allowance winner Thoughtless ran third in the

$50,000 Hoist Her Flag Stakes on the same card. Arkansas-bred Zack Ridge Road ($4.70) raced six times this year at Oaklawn, breaking his March 22 before running third in the $100,000 Rainbow Stakes for state-bred 3-year-olds March

30. Zack Ridge Road’s last four starts have been in Canada.

Oaklawn winner Moon Gate Warrior finished second in the $100,000 Turning For Home Handicap Saturday at Parx Racing in Pennsylvania.

Alex Canchari, seventh in Oaklawn’s jockey standings this year, rode five winners Friday at Indiana Grand.

Canchari won the second race aboard Bango Box ($7.80) for trainer Cipriano Contreras, fourth race aboard favored Royal Knightowl ($6) for trainer Ronald Brown, fifth race aboard favored Hogans Holiday ($3.60) for trainer Tom Amoss, seventh race aboard Benny Special ($9.20) for trainer Israel Garcia and the eighth race aboard Secret Bank ($11.40) for trainer Genaro Garcia.

Canchari rode his first career winner at the 2012 Oaklawn meeting and had 25 victories this year in Hot Springs.

Steppenwolfer, runner-up in the Arkansas Derby and third in the Kentucky Derby in 2006, died recently of a “colic episode,” according to Dan Peitz, who trained the horse for the Lows.