Supplement Pee Wee Reese Upsets Om in American

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. 

"This was not by design. There was a Cal-bred stakes down the hill that we were pointing him towards that didn't go so this was kind of a last minute switch and it just proved to be lucky," trainer Phil D'Amato said.

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 D'Amato trainee Obviously. Talamo said 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 1 1/4 lengths behind the favorite, 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. D'Amato said his next start could come in the Aug. 20 Del Mar Mile (G2T) or July 22 Eddie Read Stakes (G2T) at Del Mar.

"He just proved he has a ton of heart. I'm very proud of this horse," D'Amato said. "He was always a good horse. We always thought very highly of him but I don't think we realized his true potential until we threw him on the grass. Then, when we put him on the grass, he was a totally different horse. He's got such a high cruising speed and has shown he can carry it around two turns.

"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."