GI Gamely Stakes

Mission accomplished. Three months ago, after Thought Process (f, 4, Collected--Creative Thinking, by Creative Cause) kickstarted her 4-year-old campaign with a win in the Feb. 28 GII Buena Vista Stakes at Santa Anita, Billy Koch of Little Red Feather Racing said, "Ultimately, our goal has always been the Gamely." On Monday, that vision became reality with jockey Hector Berrios pumping his arm in celebration as Thought Process crossed the wire much the best in the 1 1/8-mile GI Gamely Stakes on Santa Anita's Memorial Day program. It marked the chestnut's...

A pair of Grade I turf tests in addition to the GII Hollywood Gold Cup highlight Santa Anita's Memorial Day card. Kicking off Monday's graded action, the Gold Cup will feature a quintet of hard-knocking handicappers, including Grade I winners Subsanador (Arg) (Fortify), victorious over ultimate champion National Treasure (Quality Road) in the 2024 renewal of the GI California Crown and last season's GI Big 'Cap winner British Isles (Justify). Now seven, the Argentine multiple Grade I winner returned off a 2 1/2-year hiatus to finish fourth in both starts...

Bloodstock agent Mike Ryan has picked out dozens of Grade I winners over the years. He has also bred Grade I winners, most notably Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming (Bodemeister) and his half-sister Hot Dixie Chick (Dixie Union), and he's even raced a few, including 2008 GI Spinaway Stakes victress Mani Bhavan (Storm Boot) and 2019 GI United Nations Stakes winner (Tiz Wonderful) But this year's GI Gamely Stakes marked a particularly special victory for Ryan when 'TDN Rising Star' Be Your Best (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}), a horse that he...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Lope De Vega's Growth Trajectory at Monmouth Park.   Chad Brown. Check. Klaravich Stables' silks. Check. Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling grad. Also check. That particular combo combined in Lope De Vega's 3-year-old filly Growth Trajectory, who blitzed a field of Monmouth maidens by 3 1/2 lengths on May 25 (video). Bred by The Wekeela Partnership in Britain, she was an 180,000gns purchase...