Blitzkrieg takes them gate to wire in American Stakes

The former claimer Blitzkrieg was impossible to catch in the Grade 3 American Stakes, the final stakes of the winter-spring meeting at Santa Anita that ended Sunday.

Blitzkrieg finished eighth of 10 in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile on turf May 25, chasing a fast pace before fading in the final furlong. In the $102,000 American Stakes at a mile on turf, Blitzkrieg set a slower pace and repelled eight rivals for his first stakes win since the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile at Golden Gate Fields in April 2019.

Blitzkrieg ($16.80) was timed in 1:33.46 and finished a length in front of 6-1 Bowies Hero.

“It worked out well today,” winning rider Victor Espinoza said. “He was doing it so easy. When I ride a horse like him with speed, I want to go out there and have fun.”

Before the race, Espinoza conferred with Leandro Mora, assistant to trainer Doug O’Neill. They agreed a front-running style was the best option for Blitzkrieg.

“I said, ‘I think the only chance I have is to send him and hopefully go wire to wire,’ ” Espinoza said he told Mora.

Blitzkrieg earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 99, which equals his career best.

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Blitzkrieg set fractions of 23.02 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 46.42 for a half-mile. Blitzkrieg led by 1 1/2 lengths on the backstretch and by three lengths with a furlong remaining. By comparison, the first half-mile in the Shoemaker Mile was 44.75 seconds.

The American Stakes was the first start for Bowies Hero since a fifth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Mile last November at Santa Anita. Bowies Hero closed from seventh to finish second, 2 1/4 lengths in front of Sharp Samurai and Souter, who finished in a dead heat for third.

True Valour finished fifth, followed by Border Town, Cleopatra’s Strike, King of Speed, and Bolo. Jasikan was scratched Sunday morning in favor of the $65,000 Wickerr Stakes on July 11 at Del Mar, trainer John Sadler said.

Blitzkrieg had his seventh start of 2020 in the American Stakes. O’Neill had a small group in Dubai earlier this year. Blitzkrieg was winless in four starts at Meydan Racecourse there, including a third in the Group 2 Meydan Sprint at about five furlongs in February.

Claimed for $25,000 in January 2019, Blitzkrieg has since won 4 of 11 starts and earned $363,342 for owners R3 Racing LLC and Calara Farms. In his career, Blitzkrieg has won 6 of 21 starts and earned $388,097.