Take a Breath tops deep graded stakes field, Benoit Photo
Santa Anita Park Press
ARCADIA, CA —Thought Process, who returned from a six-month layoff in top form when winning the GII Buena Vista in February, GIII Royal Heroine winner Take A Breath and eastern invader Hang the Moon are among a field of eight fillies and mares set go in the Grade I, $300,000 Gamely Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/8-miles on turf Monday at Santa Anita. Joining the Gamely on a special 10-race Memorial Day program at The Great Race Place is the Grade I Shoemaker Mile and Grade II Hollywood Gold Cup.
Thought Process, a 4-year-old filly by Collected, earned a career-best and field-high 90 Beyer Speed Figure when taking the one-mile Buena Vista by two lengths on Feb. 28 at Santa Anita. Trained by Phil D’Amato, Thought Process last year won the GII San Clemente at Del Mar and as a 2-year-old took down both the GIII Surfer Girl at Santa Anita and Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf. She sports a record of 9: 6-0-2 with $500,280 in earnings for owners Estate of Brereton C. Jones, Little Red Feather Racing and Madaket Stables. Thought Process will be ridden by Hector Berrios, who was also aboard in the Buena Vista.
Take A Breath prevailed in the one-mile Royal Heroine on April 25 by a half-length over May Day Ready, who also returns in the Gamely. Trained by Mark Glatt, Take A Breath six weeks earlier also prevailed the GIII Santa Ana at 1 ¼ miles on turf at Santa Anita. Bred in England, where she began her career, Take A Breath is a 4-year-old filly by Bated Breath owned by Rancho Temescal Thoroughbred Partners and Chivalry Racing Thoroughbred. Regular rider Emisael Jaramillo has the call on Take A Breath.
Hang the Moon makes the cross-country trip from Florida for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. but is well-acquainted with the Santa Anita turf course. Prior to selling for $625,000 at the Keeneland November sale and getting transferred to Joseph at the end of last year, Hang the Moon made nine starts in Southern California while trained by D’Amato. She is 2-for-4 on the Santa Anita sod, which includes a win in the GII Rodeo Drive in 2024. Hang the Moon has made two starts for Joseph. She won a classified allowance in February at Gulfstream Park, then returned to be beaten a neck when second in the Sand Springs at 1 1/16 miles on turf at Gulfstream on March 28. Hang the Moon, a 6-year-old mare by Uncle Mo, will be ridden by Flavien Prat for the first time in the Gamely.
THE GRADE I GAMELY WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 6 of 10 Approximate post time 3:30 p.m. PT
Public Assembly—Joel Rosario—122Hang the Moon—Flavien Prat—122A Thousand Miles—Mike Smith—122Take A Breath—Emisael Jaramillo—122Thought Process—Hector Berrios—124Vronti—Juan Hernandez—122Rashmi—Kazushi Kimura—122May Day Ready—Antonio Fresu—124Twirling Point—Ricky Gonzalez—122
