American Anthem, a relative of Klawervlei Stud’s promising stallion Twice Over, made news over the weekend when he captured the G2 San Carlos Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday.

St. Joe Bay dashed to the front, shadowed by American Anthem through splits of :22.21 and :44.46 on the fast track. When jockey Mike Smith gave American Anthem his cue, the Bob Baffert pupil asserted himself and overtook St. Joe Bay by a half-length in midstretch. But the longshot wouldn’t defer that easily. Staying on stubbornly along the inside, St. Joe Bay began to claw back the yards from American Anthem and drew on virtually level terms approaching the wire.

The photo-finish revealed that American Anthem had his head in front in a final time of 1:22.12 for seven furlongs.

Now a winner of five of just ten outings, American Anthem took his earnings to $673 945 with Saturday’s graded win. It was a third graded victory for the son of Bodemeister, who had previously won both the G2 Woody Stephens Stakes and G3 Lazaro Barrera Stakes.

American Anthem’s fourth dam Lost Virtue, also the third dam of Twice Over, produced G1 Prix du Moulin winner All At Sea, and is also ancestress of US champion Banshee Breeze, and the G1 winners Antonoe, Mutual Trust and this year’s G1 Turf Classic star Yoshida.

European Champion, and four time G1 winner, Twice Over has made a superb start to his stud career.

The champion’s first crop has yielded all of G1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion winner Sand And Sea, G2 Daisy Guineas winner Do It Again and G3 Politician Stakes hero Doublemint (who lines up in Saturday’s G3 Highlands Stud Winter Derby).

Twice Over, whose yearlings have made up to R1 000 000 in 2018, has a single lot on offer at the 2018 KZN Yearling Sale.