When the 4-year-old Thought Process starts in Monday’s Grade 1 Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita, she will race for the first time in more than 12 weeks and for the second time in the last nine months. The recent gap would be an issue for trainer Phil D’Amato were it not for a five-furlong workout in 58.60 seconds by Thought Process on May 18. “Her last drill answered all questions,” D’Amato said. “It was ultra impressive. She couldn’t blow out a match. My jaw dropped. It was the ease in which she did everything and the way she did it all. “She’s going into the Gamely in the right way.” :: Play Santa Anita racing with confidence. Get DRF Past Performances, Clocker Reports, and more. Thought Process needs a top-level performance to win the $300,000 Gamely, her third career appearance in a Grade 1. She was ninth of 14 after leading in early stretch of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar in 2024 as the 9-2 second choice. Last August, Thought Process had a half-length lead in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks but faded to finish third as the 11-10 favorite. On Feb. 28, Thought Process dominated the Grade 2 Buena Vista Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile, closing from third of six to win by two lengths. Despite the period between starts, Thought Process will be favored in the Gamely, which drew a strong field of eight. Thought Process, owned by the family of the late Brereton Jones, the Little Red Feather Racing partnership, and Madaket Stable, drew post 5. She will be ridden by Hector Berrios, who has been aboard for the filly’s last two stakes wins, beginning with the Grade 2 San Clemente Handicap at a mile on turf at Del Mar last July. Seven of the eight entrants in the Gamely are stakes winners. The exception is a filly that warrants attention. Vronti, trained in Maryland by Graham Motion, has won her last two starts, both on turf, in a maiden race at Tampa Bay Downs in February and an allowance race at 1 1/8 miles at Keeneland in April. Vronti, who races as a stalker, is improving. Take A Breath is another contender. Fourth in the Del Mar Oaks last August in her American debut, Take A Breath has grabbed attention at Santa Anita this year with consecutive Grade 3 stakes wins on turf – the Santa Ana Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on March 15 and the Royal Heroine Stakes at a mile on April 25. The key for Take A Breath on Monday is for the Gamely to have a solid tempo. “The pace scenario will make a difference for her,” said Mark Glatt, who trains Take A Breath. “The mile and an eighth will probably be up her alley.” A Thousand Miles, winner of the $300,000 Zia Park Oaks in New Mexico last November; Rashmi, who led throughout the Grade 3 Wilshire Stakes at a mile on turf at Santa Anita on March 28; and Thought Process have set the pace at times. Rashmi returned from a layoff of nearly 13 months to win the Wilshire by 2 3/4 lengths as the 2-5 favorite, her second stakes win on turf at Santa Anita. Trainer Jonathan Thomas said Rashmi is not committed to a certain style of racing in the Gamely. “We want her wherever she’s happy,” he said. “She’s a happy, good-moving filly.” D’Amato also starts Public Assembly, who is winless in eight starts since the Grade 3 Royal Heroine Stakes in April 2025. Public Assembly was fifth in the 2025 Gamely. Hang the Moon, who was trained by D’Amato when she won two Grade 2 stakes at Del Mar and Santa Anita in 2024, starts for Florida-based trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., who won the 2025 Gamely with Be Your Best. Hang the Moon, bought for $625,000 at Keeneland last November, was a fast-closing second by a neck in the Sand Springs Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on turf at Gulfstream Park on March 28. May Day Ready is having her second start of 2026 in the Gamely. Trained by Richard Mandella, May Day Ready was second by a half-length in the Royal Heroine, her first start since October. “I think the race should help her,” Mandella said. “She might have gotten a little tired in the last 100 yards.” :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.