Thought Process leads a field of 11 fillies and mares in Grade II Rodeo Drive

Thought Process in the Gamely, Benoit Photo

Santa Anita Park Press

ARCADIA, CA —After finishing second as the odds-on favorite in last month’s GII John C. Mabee Stakes at Del Mar, Grade I winner Thought Process will look to get back on the beam Saturday when she takes on 10 fillies and mares in the Grade II, $200,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes going 1 ¼ miles on turf at Santa Anita Park. As part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series, the winner of the Rodeo Drive earns a fees-paid berth to the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf on Oct. 31 at Keeneland Race Course.

Trained by Phil D’Amato, Thought Process was beaten by one length at odds of 3-5 in the Mabee going 1 1/8 miles on turf on Sept. 7. Previously in May at Santa Anita, the 4-year-old filly by Collected won the GI Gamely at the same distance. Thought Process enters with a record of 11: 7-1-2 with $730,200 in earnings for owners Estate of Brereton C. Jones, Little Red Feather Racing and Madaket Stables. She’ll have regular rider Hector Berrios in the irons.

The Rodeo Drive field includes multiple out-of-state invaders seeking a Breeders’ Cup bid including Vronti for trainer Graham Motion and Dona Clota for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.

Vronti has already made two trips west this year for Motion. In her most recent start in August, Vronti shipped to Del Mar and took down the listed CTT and TOC Stakes as the favorite going 1 3/8 miles on turf. She also tried the Gamely this spring and finished a no-threat fifth. Bred in England, where she made her first four starts last year as a 3-year-old, Vronti is a daughter of Night of Thunder and owned by Andrew Stone. She’ll be ridden by Juan Hernandez.

Dona Clota, owned by Resolute Racing, is a Grade III winner who exits a fifth-place finish in the GIII Ladies Marathon at Kentucky Downs going 1 5/16 miles on Sept. 6. Bred in Chile, where she was a Group I winner, the 5-year-old mare by Ivan Denisovich enters with an overall record of 19: 5-2-3 with $336,777 in earnings. She’ll be ridden by Micah Husbands.

THE GRADE II RODEO DRIVE WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 10 of 10 Approximate post time 5:30 p.m. PT

1. Thought Process—Hector Berrios—126
2. Resolve—Armando Ayuso—122
3. Dona Clota—Micah Husbands—124
4. Totally Justified—Joseph Bealmear—122
5. Public Assembly—Julien Leparoux—122
6. Kentucky Gal—Joel Rosario—122
7. Hey Jessie—Emisael Jaramillo—122
8. Victorious Dream—Ricky Gonzalez—118
9. May Day Ready—Kazushi Kimura—122
10. The Mizzen Queen—Kyle Frey—122
11. Vronti—Juan Hernandez—122

First post Saturday is at 1 p.m. PT.