ARCADIA, Calif. – As the only Grade 1 winner entered in the Grade 3 American Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita, comebacker King of Gosford commands respect. Glass half-full. As the only entrant without a recent start, King of Gosford looks vulnerable when he returns Saturday following a seven-month layoff. Glass half-empty. The dilemma – class versus condition – will be tested in the $100,000 American, a turf mile that is a prep for the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile on May 25. King of Gosford, runner-up in the American last year and Shoemaker winner his next start, is the most accomplished in the American field. “I think I have him a little fitter going into the American than I did last year,” trainer Phil D’Amato said. But he acknowledged “our ultimate goal is the Shoemaker, with both horses.” D’Amato also trains American program favorite Almendares. :: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. Sumter stretches out from a Grade 3 win in a turf sprint; Seal Team worked super since his odd-trip comeback. Both are trained by Richard Mandella. Upset candidate, Genius Jimmy, is entered, along with streaking Captain Choochies, who has won six straight races, and outsider Twirling Point. The American Stakes has been good to D’Amato, who won the first graded stakes of his career with Obviously in the 2014 American. D’Amato has won the American three times, and 152 graded stakes overall. King of Gosford, 5 of 7 on Santa Anita turf, or Almendares, could add to the total. King of Gosford made only three starts in 2025. After winning the Shoemaker Mile, he returned in August in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile. He came out of the race worse for wear, “We got wiped out and had all kinds of cuts, dramatic cuts, on his hind legs, the kind where he couldn’t train or they [cuts] would keep opening up,” D’Amato said. “We had to kick him out and give him lots of time. He’s come back tremendous.” Emisael Jaramillo rides King of Gosford. Antonio Fresu rides Almendares, third in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf and Grade 2 Frank E. Kilroe at Santa Anita last out. Kilroe one-two finishers Final Boss and El Potente skipped the American to aim for the Shoemaker. Late-runner Almendares is listed 2-1 in the American; the 5-2 second choice is Mandella-trained Sumter, fresh off a sprint win in the Grade 3 San Simeon on the hill. Mike Smith rides Sumter, a 7-year-old gelding Mandella said is “jumping out of his skin. He’s got a new lease on life.” Mandella also entered Seal Team, last of six in his comeback, the San Simeon. Seal Team had an alibi. He was rallying at the dirt crossing, but instead of turning left, he turned right. Seal Team drifted out severely and lost his chance, missing by 3 3/4 lengths. “He was making a helluva move until he got to the dirt, and he wanted to go to the barn,” Mandella said. Since then, Seal Team has trained exceptionally well. Winner of an age-restricted Grade 2 in 2023, Seal Team will be ridden again by Hector Berrios. Genius Jimmy is listed at 8-1 following a close third in the San Simeon. “He was unlucky, I thought he could have won,” trainer Michael McCarthy noted. Genius Jimmy got stuck inside and behind horses into the lane, had to wait, angled outside and finished well to miss by a head. A 6-year-old who runs short and long, Genius Jimmy enters in top form under jockey Juan Hernandez. McCarthy said he “had big plans for [Genius Jimmy] last year, for one reason or another, things never matriculated. Seems like he’s where we wanted him to be last year – secure, doing things the right way.” Captain Choochies enters on a six-race win streak for trainer George Papaprodromou. After maiden and starter allowance wins in late 2024, Captain Choochies was off more than year with a pelvis injury. He picked up where he left off. Captain Choochies won all four starts during the Santa Anita winter meet, while going steadily up the ladder. The American is the first graded stakes for Captain Choochies, listed at 10-1 under Florent Geroux. He may be outclassed, but six in a row is hard to argue with. “What can I say? He shows up every time,” Papaprodromou said. The American Stakes is race 7 on Saturday. It is part of a pick six sequence (races 5-10) that will start with a carryover of $44,734 after the bet went unhit Friday. ◗ A quintet of 3-year-olds entered the $100,000 John Shear Stakes, race 3 Saturday. The 6 1/2-furlong hillside sprint was scheduled for April 18, but postponed due to insufficient entries. The rescheduled race includes Doug O’Neill-trained program favorite Track Tiger, up in class after dominating three rivals in an entry-level allowance on the hill. Track Tiger looks like the speed of the field. D’Amato-trained late-runners Later Than Planned and Iriseach also entered. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.