Formidable Man, Thought Process, Forged Steel all pointed toward Del Mar races

Formidable Man may have a familiar summer schedule at Del Mar in coming months after winning his first start of 2026 in Monday’s Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile on turf at Santa Anita.

Formidable Man will be joined at that meeting by Thought Process and Forged Steel, who won the most prestigious races of their careers on Monday in the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes for fillies and mares on turf, and the Grade 2 Hollywood Gold Cup on dirt.

Formidable Man, trained by Michael McCarthy for William and Suzanne Warren, swept two Grade 2 turf stakes at Del Mar last year – the Eddie Read Stakes at 1 1/8 miles in July and the Del Mar Mile in late August.

Those same races on July 26 and Aug. 22 work with the long-range goal of having Formidable Man ready for the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland on Oct. 31, trainer Michael McCarthy said on Wednesday.

“He’s fond of Del Mar,” McCarthy said. “I like the spacing” to the Eddie Read.

Last November, Formidable Man finished second by 1 1/2 lengths to the British shipper Notable Speech in the BC Mile at Del Mar. Notable Speech, who was honored as the champion turf male of 2025, won the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes at a mile in Britain on May 16.

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Formidable Man, a 5-year-old with 9 wins in 17 starts, won his seventh stakes, and third Grade 1, in the Shoemaker Mile, closing from fourth of eight to win by 1 3/4 lengths.

“I saw a horse that picked up where he left off last year,” McCarthy said. “He was able to get a nice break after the Breeders’ Cup. He came back off of six works and won a Grade 1.

“All of those things worked out. More times than not, you hit a bump in the road.”

Summer plans are not as certain for Thought Process after she won a fifth stakes in her 10th start in the Gamely at 1 1/8 miles.

On Wednesday, trainer Phil D’Amato said he will consider a surface switch for Thought Process, entertaining the possibility of starting the 4-year-old filly in the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on dirt on Aug. 1. The winner of the $400,000 Hirsch Stakes receives a fees-paid berth to the BC Distaff at Keeneland on Oct. 31.

“If she could be a Grade 1 winner on dirt and turf, her value would double,” D’Amato said. “That would be a big swing.”

On turf, options are Del Mar include two Grade 2 races – the $200,000 Yellow Ribbon Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on Aug. 8, and the $250,000 John C. Mabee Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on Sept. 7, the closing day of the meeting.

A long-range goal is the Grade 2 Rodeo Drive Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Santa Anita on Oct. 3. The winner of that race receives a fees-paid berth to the BC Filly and Mare Turf at Keeneland on Oct. 31.

“The conversative route would be the Yellow Ribbon, the Mabee, and the Rodeo Drive and hopefully the Breeders’ Cup,” D’Amato said.

Thought Process, owned by the family of the late Brereton Jones, the Little Red Feather Racing partnership, and Madaket Stable, is unbeaten in two starts this year, having won the Grade 2 Buena Vista Stakes at a mile on turf in February.

In both wins, Thought Process drew away through the final furlong. She won the Gamely by 2 3/4 lengths under jockey Hector Berrios, her first win at 1 1/8 miles in her second attempt. She was third in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks at 1 1/8 miles last August after leading in the stretch.

“It was encouraging that she took to the added ground,” D’Amato said. “Her gallop-out was tremendous. Hector thought farther would not be a problem at age 4. She’s matured and relaxed. She should be able to go further.

“As a 2-year-old, she was very head strong. She was better at 3. I really like how she is at 4. She’s much more relaxed, even around the barn.”

D’Amato trains Almendares and King of Gosford who were second and third in the Shoemaker Mile. Both could start in the $250,000 Read Stakes, although King of Gosford, who won the 2025 Shoemaker Mile, remains eligible for a restricted race, the $100,000 Wickerr Stakes at a mile on turf on July 19.

“I think they both ran really good races,” D’Amato said. “They got beat by an exceptional horse who is a multiple Grade 1 winner.

“Almendares had a perfect trip. King of Gosford had an overland route and he came on and ran a valiant third.”

Forged Steel ran the best race of his career in the Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles, leading throughout and drawing away by 9 1/2 lengths. The win left Florida-based trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., contemplating a return to California for the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at 1 1/4 miles at Del Mar on Aug. 22.

With a purse of $1 million, the Pacific Classic is the richest annual race at Del Mar. The winner receives a fees-paid berth to the BC Classic at Keeneland on Oct. 31.

“I think we’ll consider the Pacific Classic,” Joseph said. “He did well at a mile and a quarter so why not think of it?

“We were hopeful that he could win. He ran better than we thought. It was a great performance. To have speed and stamina on dirt makes him a lethal horse.”

Forged Steel, a 4-year-old colt, races for CS Racing Stable and Mathis Stables and has won 5 of 18 starts.

Malarchuk, trained by McCarthy, finished second in the Gold Cup, his graded stakes debut. McCarthy said the Pacific Classic could be part of Malarchuk’s summer schedule.

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