Thought Process tops D’Amato’s six-pack of Breeders’ Cup possibles

ARCADIA, Calif. – California trainer Phil D’Amato may have as many as six starters in Breeders’ Cup races on Oct. 31 at Keeneland.

The D’Amato-trained Thought Process earned a fees-paid berth to the BC Filly and Mare Turf with a front-running win in the Grade 2 Rodeo Drive Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf last Saturday at Santa Anita.

She may be joined at the Breeders’ Cup by Sorrento Sky (a candidate for the BC Turf Sprint), Gold Phoenix (Turf), Majestic Oops (Filly and Mare Sprint), Maximum Bourbon (Sprint), and Iron Man Cal (who will be cross-entered in the Dirt Mile and Sprint).

Sorrento Sky must be supplemented to the Breeders’ Cup program for $200,000. He earned a berth in the BC Turf Sprint with a win in the Grade 2 Green Flash Handicap on Aug. 22 at Del Mar and followed with a win in the Grade 2 Eddie D Stakes on Sept. 26 at Santa Anita.

But Sorrento Sky was not nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program as a weanling, leading to the massive supplemental fee. Payment is due Oct. 19, the day of pre-entries, giving the partnership of Sandra Benowitz, John Rochfort, Ian McLean, Saul Gevertz, Marc Lantzman, and Michael Nentwig time to ponder the decision.

“I’m leaving it to the owners,” D’Amato said. “I am going forward unless things change.”

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Thought Process won for the third time in four starts this year in the Rodeo Drive, the longest race of her career. The BC Filly and Mare Turf will be run at the slightly shorter distance of 1 3/16 miles.

D’Amato envisions Thought Process having a forward trip in the Filly and Mare Turf.

“The way the Keeneland turf course is playing, being tactical is an advantage. I don’t see a lot of position changes on the grass. Being able to be in a tactical position is an advantage.”

In May, Thought Process won the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Santa Anita by racing slightly off the pace to the turn. She won by 2 3/4 lengths.

“She won her Grade 1 by sitting just off and making a nice move,” D’Amato said. “With her, it’s all about timing.”

The BC Filly and Mare Turf will be the second start in a Breeders’ Cup race for Thought Process, who was ninth in the 2024 BC Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar.

Gold Phoenix has started in the last four runnings of the BC Turf, finishing 10th of 13 at Keeneland in 2022, fourth at Santa Anita in 2023, fourth at Del Mar in 2024, and fifth at Del Mar last year.

In the last two years, the 8-year-old Gold Phoenix has been the best-placed American horse.

Courtesy of his victories in the Del Mar Handicap, Gold Phoenix has started in the last four runnings of the BC Turf with a fees-paid berth.

This year, Gold Phoenix finished fourth, by three-quarters of a length, in the Del Mar Handicap behind Test Score.

On Sunday at Santa Anita, Gold Phoenix worked five furlongs on the synthetic infield training track in 1:01.40.

“I like his energy,” D’Amato said.

Similar to Sorrento Sky, a final decision on Gold Phoenix’s participation will be made by the Oct. 19 pre-entry deadline.

Owners Little Red Feather Racing, Agave Racing, Sterling Stables, and Marsha Naify must pay $125,000 in pre-entry and entry fees to start Gold Phoenix.

“We’ll take it to the wire because we can,” D’Amato said. “If he’s doing 100 percent, we’ll take a swing. He’s on that trajectory.”

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