Thought Process leads deep field in Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita

Thought Process arrived as the horse to beat on form. Santa Anita’s Buena Vista recap said she won the Grade 2 on Feb. 28 by two lengths in her first start in more than six months, and she did it the right way, stalking from close range and saving ground while setting up behind fractions of 23.35, 46.85 and 1:10.87 for six furlongs. She was the 6-5 favorite that day, and that kind of fresh, professional effort is exactly why she loomed so large again in the Gamely. Horses that can return off a break and fire at this level tend to stay dangerous through the summer, especially when the campaign path points to the same kind of Grade 1 turf targets.

Take A Breath gave the race a serious counterweight. She had already won the GIII Santa Ana Stakes, then followed it with a narrow victory in the GIII Royal Heroine on April 25, making it back-to-back graded stakes wins. That made her one of the sharpest mares in the field and a reminder that current form can beat reputation when the pace and trip line up. With Emisael Jaramillo aboard for Mark Glatt, and owners Chivalry Thoroughbred Racing and Rancho Temescal Thoroughbred Partners behind her, Take A Breath entered with a profile built for another aggressive placement move.

The rest of the field made sure this was no two-horse race. Eastern shipper Hang The Moon and multiple Grade 2 winner May Day Ready gave the Gamely a national feel, the kind of lineup that usually produces a more honest tempo and less room for error. That mattered because the race was part of Santa Anita’s 11-race Memorial Day program, alongside the Shoemaker Mile and Hollywood Gold Cup, so the stakes for bettors and horsemen were elevated from the start.