American State

That level is predominantly Class 5, which sits towards the lower end of British racing's hierarchy — these are competitive but accessible contests, and American State has made them count, winning 2 of 8 races at that grade (25%, or 1 in 4). That's a solid return. When a horse wins 1 in 4 races at the level it's most comfortable at, it means the yard — sorry, the team — know exactly where to place it and when to aim for a race rather than just run in one.

The career began with a win at Newbury in June 2025, which is a decent venue to break your duck. Most recently, American State won at Southwell back in April 2026, around three months ago. Since then, the form has cooled: a sixth, then two tens and a sixth in the most recent four outings suggest the horse hasn't quite found that same spark, though it raced just yesterday, so clearly remains in good health and active training.

Kieran Shoemark is the regular partner in the saddle, riding together 5 times with 1 win — a 20% win rate, which means 1 win from every 5 rides. That's a decent hit rate for a jockey-horse combination and suggests there's an understanding between the two. The man sending them out, Ivan Furtado, has been in fine form this season with 43 winners from his South Yorkshire base — evidence of a yard firing well, even if American State hasn't been among the recent contributors.

The picture here is of a straightforward, honest racehorse that knows its job, performs best when the class level suits, and has a trainer in good enough form to find the right opportunities. Not every horse needs to be a champion — some are just reliable, well-placed competitors, and American State fits that description neatly.