Rhea Moon rallies for narrow win in Grade 1 American Oaks

Well positioned for a third consecutive winter-spring meet training title but quiet through the first 10 races on opening day Monday at Santa Anita, Phil D’Amato made plenty of noise in the 11th and final event.

D’Amato’s Ireland-bred Rhea Moon rallied from off the pace to score by a head in the Grade 1, $300,000 American Oaks at a time of 2:00.75 for the 1 1/4 miles on the firm turf.

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Jockey Juan Hernandez not only registered his second Grade 1 victory of the day but his third stakes win and fourth overall as he defends his leading-rider title from 2021-22.

Unhurried while a joint eighth about five lengths off the lead turning up the backside, Rhea Moon saved ground at the rail under a snug hold to the top of the lane, split horses three deep and gradually overhauled stablemate School Dance to annex her first Grade 1 win.

A first-condition allowance winner at one mile on turf two starts back at Del Mar on Aug. 21, Rhea Moon was off at 6-1 in a field of 11 sophomore fillies and paid $15.60, $7.60 and $5.20. She had been idle since taking the Autumn Miss (G3) at one mile on turf Oct. 29 and had broken her maiden going 1 1/8 mile on grass four starts back.

Owned by Rockingham Ranch and Talla Racing and winless in a pair of Ireland starts at age 2, Rhea Moon is 9: 4-3-2 overall. With the La Brea winnings of $180,000, she increased her earnings to $371,831.

The D’Amato exacta was completed by School Dance, who was making her stakes debut with Ramon Vazquez up. Off at 11-1, School Dance paid $10.80 and $7.60 while finishing three-quarters of a length in front of Sparkle Blue.

Ridden by Joe Bravo for Graham Motion, Sparkle Blue was off at 8-1 and paid $6.80 to show.

Ireland-bred Salimah, who shipped in from New York for Chad Brown and was the 5-2 favorite, showed the way to the quarter pole but tired to finish seventh under Flavien Prat.

Fractions for the race were 23.88, 48.31, 1:12.45 and 1:36.97.