American Stakes Supplement Pee Wee Reese Upsets Om

He was supplemented into the race, but Pee Wee Reese didn't know that.

Catching a flier out of the gate with even-money favorite Om close behind all the way in the $100,000 American Stakes (G3T) July 4 at Santa Anita Park, Nick Alexander's Tribal Rule homebred turned back the multiple graded stakes winner and picked up a graded victory of his own by 1 3/4 lengths

Bettors that got wise on closing day at the California oval might have thrown a few down on the 4-year-old colt because of his rider. Jockey Joe Talamo has now won five of the past seven editions of the American, two of them with recently retired Phil D'Amato trainee Obviously. Talamo said D'Amato-trained Pee Wee Reese brought memories of the grade 1 winner to mind as he clicked along easily through fractions of :22.13, :45.22, and 1:08.50 en route to a quick final time of 1:32.26 on firm turf.

"Those fractions kind of reminded me of Obviously," the jockey said. "He was going pretty quick, but the way he was doing it, he was well within himself.

"I saw Gary (Stevens, aboard favored Om) was riding to stay with me (heading into the far turn) and I was very happy. I was loaded the whole way. ... And when he turned for home, he hit another gear."

Fresh off a big second behind highly regarded What a View in the one-mile Crystal Water Stakes May 20 on the Santa Anita turf, Pee Wee Reese was trying graded stakes competition for the first time. Off at odds of 5-1 in a field of eight, he returned $12.40, $4.20, and $3. Om, running for the first time since November of 2016, paid $2.80 and $2.20. Alert Bay ($3) completed the trifecta, and was followed home by Flamboyant, Hunt, Kenjisstorm, Si Sage, and Patentar. Smokey Image was scratched.

Pee Wee Reese was bred in California out of the Unbridled's Song mare Bluegrass Belle. He extended his record to five wins and two seconds from nine starts, with earnings of $259,990.

"At the three eighths pole, when (Stevens) was pushing and shoving and we had a length on him, I could see that Joe sensed Om was all-out and he was just trying to give Pee Wee a little breather," D'Amato said. "When we opened up a little bit of daylight I thought we had a chance, but you never know with those fast fractions if someone will come and try to run you down.

"It's reminiscent of Obviously and it couldn't have come at a better time. We retired the big guy and we've got another nice prospect on our hands."