BY BROCK SHERIDAN
A winner of the Old Dominion Oaks in her last race in September, Augustin Stables’ As Catch Can returns to her base at Santa Anita for the $300,000 American Oaks presented by Cygames (Grade 1). Trained by Jonathan Thomas, the dark bay or brown daughter of Mo Town is one of ten 3-year-old fillies that will on the downhill turf course and race mile-and-a-quarter.
The $253,000 Old Dominion Oaks, run at nine furlongs on the turf at Colonial Downs on Sept. 3, was the first victory in five races this year for As Catch Can, who began the year with two runner-up finishes in stakes. She was second to Casalu in the $102,000 Sweet Life going six-and-a-half furlongs on the downhill grass course on Santa Anita on Feb. 9 then second to Bless the Broken over a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the synthetic at Turfway Park on March 22. She was then fourth, less than a length behind winner Firenze Flavor in the Grade 3 Honeymoon going a mile-and-an-eighth on the turf at Santa Anita on May 18 before her only off-the-board finish of the year in the Grade 2 San Clemente in July. While finishing sixth, she was still less than four lengths off winner Thought Process going a mile on the turf.
As Catch Can is out of Just a Catch, by Justin Philip and was bred in Florida by Loren Nichols. She has a career record of three wins, three seconds and a third with earnings of $320,395 after Donato Lanni bought her as an agent for $210,000. He selected her out of the Top Line Sales consignment at the 2024 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Spring Sale.
As Catch Can will break from post nine with Joel Rosario in the irons and they are 8-1 on the morning line.
She will start to the immediate left of Atsila (Ire), the 5-2 morning line favorite with jockey Tiago Pereira.
The American Oaks will be the first start in North America for the Atsila (Ire), who is trained by Richard Baltas for Barry Fowler, Medallion Racing and Parkland Thoroughbreds.
A winner of her first two races in Ireland including the Group 3 Irish EBF Athasi Stakes going a mile on the straight at The Curragh in May, she has since made five starts, all against Group 1 fillies in Europe. Her best effort came in September at Leopardstown when third in the one-mile Coolmore America Justify Matron (G1) won by Fallen Angel (GB).
In her last race, Atsila was sixth in the Group 1 BetMGM Sun Chariot at Newmarket on Oct. 4.
The field for the American Oaks also includes A Thousand Miles with Mike Smith named to ride, Will Then with Flavien Prat up, Jose Ortiz has the call on Cliffs, Ambaya will be ridden by Antonio Fresu, Slick (Ire) will be guided by Umberto Rispoli, Take A Breath (GB) has Diego Herrera taking the riding assignment, Totally Justified with Juan Hernandez in the irons and Mirco Demuro rides Ribbons.
Return to the December 26 issue of Wire to Wire
