Pee Wee Reese outruns Om in one-mile American

Reverting to the running style that produced two wins earlier in the season, Pee Wee Reese was sent to the front by Joe Talamo and sizzled his way over one mile of Santa Anita's turf course on Tuesday, beating 11-10 favorite Om by 1 3/4 lengths in the $101,035 American (G3).

The closing day feature of Santa Anita's spring/summer meet, the American has become Talamo's personal fiefdom. The Louisiana native has now won five of the past seven runnings of the American, including two with the recently retired Obviously (2013-14).

Like Obviously, Pee Wee Reese was able to show high cruising speed and dared the competition to catch him if they could. However, after splits of :22.13, :45.22, and 1:08.50, none proved up to the challenge. Pee Wee Reese finished up in 1:32.26 on firm ground.

"He reminded me of Obviously," Talamo said. "He was going pretty quick but the way he was doing it…he was well within himself. Turning for home he switched leads and he still had a lot left. That impressed me."

A homebred racing for Nick Alexander and trained by Phil D'Amato, Pee Wee Reese returned $12.40. Multiple Grade 2 winner Om, making his first start since November, finished a 1 1/4 lengths clear of Alert Bay for second. The order of finish was rounded out by Flamboyant, Hunt, Kenjisstorm, Si Sage, and Patentar.

A two-time winner at Del Mar last summer, including his turf debut going five furlongs, Pee Wee Reese returned to action March 17 and romped against open allowance foes wire-to-wire going about 6 1/2 furlongs. He successfully stretched out to one mile and won again on the front end in an April 15 allowance, but in the $98,000 Crystal Water on May 20 he was rated in third by Talamo but could only close into second place at the wire.

A California-bred four-year-old colt, Pee Wee Reese now sports a line of 9-5-2-0, $259,990. By Tribal Rule, he was reared by the Unbridled's Song mare Bluegrass Belle, who also produced the stakes-placed Bluegrass Reward.

"We’ll play it by ear. You never know if he bounces out of it good. We may point towards the Del Mar Mile (G2) or may even consider the Eddie Read (G2)," D'Amato said.