Grade I-Placed Thought Process Returns, Top Cal-Bred Grand Slam Smile Gets Graded Chance In GII Buena Vista Stakes For Older Fillies And Mares Going One Mile On Turf Saturday At Santa Anita

GRADE I-PLACED THOUGHT PROCESS RETURNS, TOP CAL-BRED GRAND SLAM SMILE GETS GRADED CHANCE IN GII BUENA VISTA STAKES FOR OLDER FILLIES AND MARES GOING ONE MILE ON TURF SATURDAY AT SANTA ANITA

ARCADIA, CA (Feb. 23, 2026)—Multiple graded stakes winner Thought Process makes her 4-year-old debut and top California-bred mare Grand Slam Smile steps up in class Saturday in the Grade II, $200,000 Buena Vista Stakes for older fillies and mares going one mile on turf at Santa Anita.

Thought Process, trained by Phil D’Amato, hasn’t started since August when finishing third in the GI Del Mar Oaks. Her record of 8: 5-0-2 includes wins in last year’s GII San Clemente at Del Mar and, as a 2-year-old, both the GIII Surfer Girl at Santa Anita and Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf. A 4-year-old filly by Collected, Thought Process has earned $380,200 for owners The Estate of Brereton C. Jones, Little Red Feather Racing and Madaket Stables. She’ll have jockey Hector Berrios aboard.

The ultra-consistent Grand Slam Smile will be seeking her first graded stakes win. In her most recent start, Grand Slam Smile collected her eighth stakes win in the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint on the hillside turf course. She is trained by Sean McCarthy and sports a record of 17: 10-6-1 with $828,120 in earnings for owners-breeders Larry and Marianne Williams. Grand Slam Smile will be ridden by Kazushi Kimura for the first time.

The other key principles are Princesa Moche and Vibez, who were separated by just a neck when running one-two in the GIII Megahertz at a mile on turf Jan. 31 at Santa Anita.

Princesa Moche was up on the pace in the Megahertz and just held off a late challenge from Vibez for her first graded stakes win. Imported from Peru last summer, the 6-year-old mare by Muwaary is trained by Doug O’Neill and owned by Rancho San Roberto Inc. She will have regular rider Mirco Demuro in the irons.

Vibez, trained by Peter Eurton, launched her rally from last when coming up just short in the Megahertz. Her biggest win came in October in the Swingtime Stakes at Santa Anita going one mile on turf. A 5-year-old mare by Collected, Vibez is 16: 4-4-1 with $248,530 in earnings for owners Exline-Border Racing, Ciaglia Racing, Richard Hausman and Garrett Zubok. She’ll be ridden by Juan Hernandez, who was also aboard in both the Megahertz and Swingtime.

THE GRADE II BUENA VISTA WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 7 of 9 Approximate post time 3:30 p.m. PT

1. Thought Process—Hector Berrios—122
2. Grand Slam Smile—Kazushi Kimura—120
3. Watchtower—Antonio Fresu—120
4. Princesa Moche—Mirco Demuro—122
5. Hannah Buckle—Armando Ayuso—120
6. My Perfect Wave—Florent Geroux—120
7. Vibez—Juan Hernandez—120

First post Saturday is 12:30 p.m. PT.