American Anthem Edges St. Joe Bay in San Carlos
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Photo: Benoit Photo
American Anthem (outside) just holds off St. Joe Bay in the San Carlos Stakes at Santa Anita Park
When American Anthem reached the quarter pole in the $250,000 San Carlos Stakes (G2) after a perfect stalking trip, the result seemed to be clear.
Alongside 42-1 longshot St. Joe Bay, who had set a fast pace, the Bob Baffert-trained Bodemeister colt and 4-5 favorite appeared set to roll to the wire unopposed.
But St. Joe Bay, in his first start off the claim for trainer John Sadler, had plenty of fight left in him. Once a standout on the Southern California sprinting scene—he won the Midnight Lute Stakes (G3) and Palos Verdes Stakes (G2) consecutively in late 2016 and early 2017—St. Joe Bay came into the San Carlos off eight straight losses.
Carrying the Hronis Racing silks for the first time, however, St. Joe Bay fought back on the inside after he fell a half-length back with a furlong to run, until American Anthem just prevailed by a head under jockey Mike Smith.
"I caught such a good jump (out of the gate) that I just thought I needed to stay out of his way," Smith said. "I thought all I could do was mess it up at that point. St. Joe Bay was running along so easy that I thought I should keep a little pressure on him, and I'm glad I did, because I needed every bit of it to get by him."
After St. Joe Bay set fractions of :22.21 and :44.46 under jockey Tyler Baze, American Anthem finished off the seven-furlong test in 1:22.12.
"He put a head in front two or three times," Baze said. "He tried so hard. It's not very often that you get one that tries that hard."
It was the third graded score for American Anthem, and all have been at the seven-furlong distance (he also won the grade 3 Lazaro Barrera Stakes and grade 2 Woody Stephens Stakes in 2017). After two placings in grade 1 sprints to close out his 3-year-old season, he returned to racing June 1 at Churchill Downs and won a seven-furlong optional-claiming allowance by 1 3/4 lengths.
"I took him to Kentucky, ran him there, and he did really well off the layoff," Baffert said. "But today he looked a little heavy. I don't know why. He's put on a few pounds since the last race. I think he's just getting better with age. He's a big, strong horse, he eats really well, and his stall is next to Justify's, so maybe that has something to do with it."
Horse Greedy, another Sadler/Hronis horse making his first start off a claim for the operation, completed the trifecta, 1 3/4 lengths behind the top pair. He was followed by El Huerfano, Dabster, Stone Hands, Touching Rainbows, and Top of the Game.
Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm—which owns him in partnership with Head of Plains Partners, China Horse Club, and SF Racing—American Anthem has a 5-1-2 record from 10 starts and $673,945 in earnings.