Cinema Stakes Victory For Final Boss

It was a second straight victory for Final Boss (3c American Pharoah x Screaming Skylar, by Smart Strike) on Sunday when the John Sadler trainee won the Cinema Stakes at Santa Anita.

Final Boss immediately went to the lead out of the gate in the 1 1/8 mile turf race to set an easy pace a few lengths ahead of the rest of the field. His lead was cut into going around the turn but it wasn’t enough to truly challenge for the lead and Final Boss came into the stretch clear of another horse.

That changed as they struck the final furlong pole and Blue Eyed George tried to make a run at him getting close enough to taste the lead. Final Boss wasn’t going to give in though, pulling away again to win by 1 ¾ lengths at the line with Justify's British Isles in third.

Raced by Talla Racing and West Point Thoroughbreds, it was the third win in seven starts for the 3-year-old, who was a $450,000 yearling purchase by his racing owners from Paramount Sales.

Bred in Kentucky by Rockingham Ranch, Final Boss is out of the two-time winner Screaming Skylar. That mare is a half-sister to Grade II winner Bel Air Beauty and two other stakes performers with Bel Air Beauty also producing multiple graded stakes winner Stacked Deck and two other stakes performers of her own.

Screaming Skylar foaled a filly by champion Epicenter this year.

American Pharoah’s seven stakes winners in 2024 ties him for sixth among all North American sires this year while his five 3-year-old stakes winners puts him third among all sires in that category as well.