American Pioneer (Awesome Again), a late nominee to the Triple Crown series on the back of one of the more impressive maiden victories at Oaklawn Park this winter, will jump into stakes company for a date against the likes of Cupid (Tapit) and Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect) in the GI Arkansas Derby Apr. 16.
The bay, purchased by Gary and Mary West through their agent Ben Glass for $230,000 at the 2014 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, debuted over a mile in Hot Springs Jan. 18 and was stalled in traffic three furlongs from the wire before finishing well to complete the exacta (video). The winner on that occasion, Dazzling Gem (Misremembered), would annex his next appearance to remain perfect and is set to tackle the GII TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby Saturday. American Pioneer was sent off the 8-5 favorite to go one better at Oaklawn Mar. 19 and traveled strongly throughout. When room came at the inside turning for home, he pounced to open a winning margin and was in hand the final 40 yards to score by 3 3/4 lengths (video). The final time of 1:44.46 was just 0.62 slower than that recorded by Cupid in the GII Rebel S. one race earlier.
“We've always liked the horse,” Wayne Catalano, who saddled Crypto Star to win the 1997 Arkansas Derby, told the Oaklawn press office. “If you saw the maiden race, he probably should have won that race. A pretty good horse beat him.”
The Wests were famously represented by Rockamundo, who upset the 1993 Arkansas Derby at 108-1. The couple paid the $6,000 required to make American Pioneer eligible to the Triple Crown series at the supplementary entry stage.
Bred in Kentucky by James Peyton's Forging Oaks Farm, American Pioneer is a son of the winning Malibu Moon mare Makoma, whose dam Rhapsodic (Dixieland Band) was a two-time graded stakes winner at two in 1993.
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