Joseph heading back West looking to replicate last year's Memorial Day success

Florida-based trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. had a perfect Memorial Day at Santa Anita last year, winning the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes with Be Your Best and the Grade 2 Hollywood Gold Cup with Skippylongstocking.

With different runners, Joseph will have starters in the same races this year on May 25.

Joseph said on Thursday that Forged Steel, the winner of an allowance race at Oaklawn Park on May 2, will start in the $200,000 Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles on dirt, while Hang the Moon will run in the $300,000 Gamely Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf for fillies and mares.

“We’re not bringing the favorite like we did with Skippy,” Joseph said. “Hang the Moon has a good shot. We’re optimistic.”

Hang the Moon, a 6-year-old mare, won two Grade 2 stakes on turf in California in 2024 for trainer Phil D’Amato – the John C. Mabee Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Del Mar, and the Rodeo Drive Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Santa Anita. She was listed as sold for $625,000 at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale last fall and now races for Twin Oaks Bloodstock.

For Joseph, Hang the Moon has started twice on turf at Gulfstream Park this year. She won an allowance race in February, and was second by a neck in the Sand Springs Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on March 28.

:: Play Santa Anita racing with confidence. Get DRF Past Performances, Clocker Reports, and more.

While Hang the Moon has strong stakes form, Forged Steel has something to prove in the Gold Cup A winner of 4 of 17 starts, Forged Steel has yet to win a stakes in 10 starts in such races, but has been second or third three times.

Forged Steel was third by two lengths in the Temperence Hill Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on dirt at Oaklawn Park on March 28, leading to early stretch. He led throughout the allowance race at a mile on May 2.

“He ran well last time,” Joseph said. The Gold Cup distance “should be right up his alley.

“This has been the plan since we ran in the allowance race.”

The Gamely and Gold Cup are two of three lucrative stakes at Santa Anita on May 25, a program that includes the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile on turf.

The list of candidates for the Gamely includes Take A Breath and May Day Ready, who were first and second in the Grade 3 Royal Heroine Stakes at a mile on turf on April 25; and Thought Process, the winner of the Grade 2 Buena Vista Stakes at a mile on turf in February in her lone start this year.

May Day Ready worked a sharp five furlongs in 58.80 seconds on the synthetic training track at Santa Anita on Thursday.

Trainer Graham Motion said on Wednesday that he is considering the stakes winner Laurelin or Vronti, the winner of an allowance race at Keeneland last month, for the Gamely Stakes.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.