Obviously, Winning Prize face off in American Stakes

Obviously (right) got the best of Silentio (left) in the Del Mar Mile last August (Benoit Photos)

A winner of last year’s American Handicap at the
now-shuttered Hollywood Park, front-running Obviously will try to overcome a 7
1/2-month layoff as he faces another front-running sort in recent Grade 1 winner
Winning Prize, who seeks his third graded win in-a-row in Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000
American
Stakes, which will be run for the first time at Santa
Anita.

Previously trained by the recently retired Mike Mitchell, Obviously is now
conditioned by longtime Mitchell assistant Phil d’Amato. After
winning the American on May 25 of last year, Obviously, with regular rider Joe
Talamo up, went on to take the June 29 Shoemaker Mile and Del Mar Mile Handicap on August 25.

Fourth as the 1-2 favorite when rated off the pace in the
City of Hope Mile, Obviously showed the way midway around the
far turn in the Breeders’ Cup Mile on November 2, but tired through
the drive to finish fifth, beaten six lengths by eventual two-time Horse of the
Year Wise Dan.

The six-year-old Irish-bred gelding has a string of bullet turf works for his
return and could pose an elusive target on the front end in Saturday’s one-mile
turf contest. Talamo has the return call on the son of Choisir.

Winning Prize brings a two-graded race win streak into the American (Benoit Photos)

A three-time Group 1 winner in Argentina, Winning Prize will likely sit a
close to the early pace in what will be his sixth stateside start. He’ll be ridden by Corey Nakatani, who was up for the Kilroe
win.

Citation conqueror Silentio was a close fifth, beaten two
lengths, when returning from the more than three-month break for trainer Gary Mandella in the Kilroe Mile. The
dark bay Silent Name five-year-old was a big third, beaten just 1 1/2 lengths, by Wise Dan in the Breeders’ Cup
Mile prior to his Citation victory.

Silentio had teamed up with Rafael Bejarano for his past eight races, but a
bad spill on Sunday has seen that jockey sidelined indefinitely as he recovers
from multiple injuries. Mandella has tabbed Gary Stevens to take the reins on
Silentio Saturday.

Silentio’s owner/breeder, Wertheimer and Frere, will also be represented in
the American by Smart
Ellis, who is trained by Richard Mandella. The five-year-old gelding has been idle since running
third in the San Juan Capistrano Handicap going 1 3/4 miles on April 21,
2013. Martin Garcia has the call on the chestnut in his long-awaited return.