Comebacking Om ready to go in American Stakes

What could be more fitting than running the American Stakes on the Fourth of July?

Not much, which is why Santa Anita is on board patriotically and then some next Tuesday with the Grade III American Stakes for three-year-olds and up at a mile on turf.

Dan Hendricks has a horse well-suited to the conditions of the $100,000 race in Om, a five-year-old son of Munnings owned by the Sareen Family Trust. The full chestnut has run seven times on turf, winning three with two seconds and a third, and six times at a mile on the grass, winning twice, finishing second twice and third once.

Usually on or close to the lead, Om finished second by a nose to Obviously in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita last Nov. 5, then was third by a half-length in the Grade II Seabiscuit at Del Mar before Hendricks gave him a break.

“Om is ready to go and coming back really well,” the trainer said. “I gave him a short time off after Del Mar last summer (from Aug. 21 to Oct. 8), but when he came back and we had all that rain, he wasn’t going to get anywhere, so I just gave more time.”

Om once again will be ridden by Gary Stevens, who has been aboard the Kentucky-bred in his last 10 starts, winning three, all Grade II stakes, the Del Mar Derby, the Twilight Derby and the Mathis Brothers Mile.

In 16 career starts, Om has five wins, four seconds and four thirds, with earnings of $848,845.

Also showcased on the July 4 holiday will be the $100,000 Lennyfrommalibu Stakes, one in the lucrative Golden State Series for California-bred or sired horses, this for four-year-olds and up at about 6 ½ furlongs down the hillside turf.

Both next Monday, July 3, and July 4, are Dollar Days, with beer, hot dogs and soda on sale for a buck. July 4 is closing day of the Spring portion of the current meet.

 

FINISH LINES: There will be no simulcast wagering at Santa Anita next Thursday, July 29. After today’s races, Santa Anita will resume live racing on Friday, June 30, and race through Tuesday, July 4 when the Spring portion of the current meet ends. Santa Anita will offer free Club House and General Admission on Friday, as well as free General Parking. Both Monday, July 3, and July 4, are Dollar Days, with beer, hot dogs and soda on sale for only a buck . . . With six racing days remaining, four jockeys are in contention for the riding title: Flavien Prat (35), Joe Talamo (32), Rafael Bejarano (31) and apprentice Evin Roman (30). Among trainers, Peter Miller is seven in front of Richard Baltas at 31-24 . . . Kentucky Derby third-place finisher Battle of Midway, who won Saturday’s Affirmed Stakes by 4 ¼ lengths as a $2.20 favorite should, came back well. “We’re happy the way he ran and happy the way he came out,” Jerry Hollendorfer said, adding “We’re going to look at that (the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on July 30) for sure.” Hollendorfer added that two-time champion Songbird, winner of Belmont Park’s Ogden Phipps June 10 in her four-year-old debut, will breeze next week for a race yet to be announced . . . Trainer John Sadler sent Beholder Mile winner Stellar Wind five furlongs in 1:01 flat for the Grade I Clement L. Hirsch at Del Mar July 30 . . . There were 21 recorded works Sunday on the training track, including a four furlong move by Cool Cowboy, who makes his U.S. debut in the San Carlos Stakes for trainer Seth Benzel. Among the 214 recorded breezes on the main track were four furlong drills by undefeated multiple stakes winner Sircat Sally for Hollendorfer and Beholder Mile runner-up Vale Dori for Bob Baffert, going in 49.60 and 49.40, respectively . . . Tyler Baze rides multiple graded stakes winner Itsinthepost for Jeff Mullins in next Saturday’s Grade I United Nations at Monmouth Park . . . Corrections: Kobe’s Back is six, not seven, and worked Saturday with Confirmed, not Arrowsphere . . . The single ticket Pick Six Jackpot carryover has ascended to $251,970.90 for Sunday.