Americanize Earns His Stripes in Damascus

Kaleem Shah’s homebred Americanize kicked off the first day of Del Mar’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships program with a 2 1/4-length victory in the $200,345 Damascus Stakes. The seven-furlong race, the opener on the Nov. 3 program, went in 1:21.73.

By Concord Point—American Story, by Ghostzapper , Americanize is trained by Simon Callaghan.

Making his stakes debut, the gray/roan 4-year-old gelding came to the Damascus off a one-length score against allowance optional claimers Oct. 7 at Santa Anita.

Silent Bird, the 5-2 favorite on the morning line, was scratched. Good Bye Greg and Americanize mixed it up on the front end as the six-horse field motored through an opening quarter-mile in :22.02 and a half in :44.39. Rafael Bejarano and Americanize inched away from Good Bye Greg into the turn and were quickly challenged by Mr. Hinx, who had been second in the Oct. 7 Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G1). However, Americanize pulled clear after six furlongs in 1:08.83. The final eighth was run in :12.09.

Mr. Hinx was second, a half-length to the good of late runner Loose On the Town, who had a length on Kobe's Back.

"He broke well and the race set up well for him," Callaghan said. "He's always been a good horse; it just took him some time to develop."

The winner paid $12, $6.20, and $3.60. Mr. Hinx returned $3.20 and $2.40; Loose On the Town paid $2.80. The $1 exacta, 5-6, paid $14.20.

American Story, whom Shah paid $400,000 for at the 2009 Fasig-Tipton Florida 2-year-old sale from Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds, made eight starts for Shah, finishing second in the 2011 Milady Handicap (G2). She delivered a filly by Shah’s Bayern  May 12 and has been bred to Tapit  for 2018.

Americanize sports a 3-5-0 mark from nine starts. He has earned $235,545.