Formidable Man tops Shoemaker; Rashmi, Thought Process meet in Gamely

A pair of Grade 1 turf stakes, the Gamely (G1) and Shoemaker Mile (G1), highlight Monday’s 10-race Memorial Day card at Santa Anita. The prestigious Hollywood Gold Cup (G2) will also be offered.

A multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire, Formidable Man will make his first appearance in the Shoemaker since finishing second to champion turf male Notable Speech in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1). Flavien Prat picks up the mount on the Michael McCarthy-trained five-year-old horse. Formidable Man is a two-time winner on Santa Anita’s turf, including last year’s Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1), but he will try to make amends for a fourth as the favorite in last year’s Shoemaker.

El Potente rates as a main rival following a runner-up in March’s Kilroe Mile (G2). The speedy seven-year-old runs his best races on Santa Anita’s turf, recording six of his lifetime wins, including a pair of graded stakes locally, and Hector Berrios has the call for Dan Blacker.

Other runners in the eight-horse field include Almendares, Genius Jimmy, and Seal Team, the top three finishers in the recent American (G3), and stakes debuter Call Me Cory.

Unraced for nearly 13 months, Rashmi dominated on the front end when returning in March’s Wilshire (G3), and she will try to carry her form forward against a deeper cast in the 1 1/8-mile Gamely. The five-year-old chestnut mare certainly appeared more formidable in her seasonal reappearance, and Kazushi Kiumura retains the assignment on the exciting Jonathon Thomas trainee.

Thought Process returned from a six-month hiatus with a sharp two-length score in February’s Buena Vista (G2), and the talented frontrunner will put her 3-for-3 record on Santa Anita’s turf on the line for Phil D’Amato. A three-time graded stakes winner, the four-year-old filly keeps Berrios in the saddle.

Take a Breath and May Day Ready, the top two finishers in the Royal Heroine (G3) in late April, are back for the Gamely, and Vronti ships in to make her first stakes outing for Graham Motion following a nice allowance win at Keeneland.

Santa Anita H. (G1) winner British Isles heads a short field of five in the Hollywood Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles. The five-year-old gelding appreciated the switch from turf to dirt last fall, but British Isles will look to rebound from a disappointing sixth in the Ben Ali (G3) at Keeneland last out. Joel Rosario takes over the reins for Richard Baltas. 

His rivals include Subsanador, winner of the California Crown (G1) at Santa Anita last fall but unplaced in two attempts this year, and Malarchuk, who will make his second start for McCarthy after a runner-up in a Sunland stakes.