Santa Anita Stable Notes Sunday, May 24, 2026

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN SUNDAY, MAY 24, 2026

- D’AMATO SHOOTS FOR A GRADE I DOUBLE ON MEMORIAL DAY - WORKS: BC JUVENILE RUNNER-UP MR. A. P., GOLD PHOENIX LEAD TAB - SADLER BAGS 2 STAKES WINS SATURDAY ON GOLD RUSH DAY - NOMINATIONS CLOSE SUNDAY FOR HONEYMOON, DESERT STORMER

D’AMATO SHOOTS FOR A GRADE I DOUBLE ON MEMORIAL DAY On an excellent Memorial Day program at Santa Anita Monday, trainer Phil D’Amato has his sights set on a Grade I double.

In the GI Shoemaker Mile, last year’s winner King of Gosford returns for D’Amato in search of a repeat. He will be joined by stablemate Almendares, who is exiting a breakout victory in last month’s GIII American. Earlier on the card in the GI Gamely for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on turf, D’Amato will saddle both 7-5 favorite Thought Process and Public Assembly.

King of Gosford in last year’s Shoemaker Mile rallied from the back half of the field to prevail by a neck under Flavien Prat at 4-1. He made just one additional start last year in August in the GII Del Mar Mile before hitting the sidelines.

King of Gosford returned to action after 7 ½ months when joining Almendares in the one-mile American on April 18. King of Gosford raced up close to a solid pace that day and finished evenly to be fourth, 1 ¾ lengths behind Almendares.

“I think he was a little too fresh that day. But he didn’t disgrace himself,” D’Amato said. “I think second time off the bench is when he runs his best race, like he did last year. He hasn’t missed a beat since his comeback.”

King of Gosford is pegged at 10-1 on the morning line. He’ll have a new rider Monday as Kazushi Kimura jumps aboard the 5-year-old horse by Zoustar for the first time.

Almendares in the American rallied from last under Antonio Fresu to win by neck. Both the runner-up, Genius Jimmy, and third-place finisher Seal Team also return in the Shoemaker.

For Almendares, the American was his first graded stakes win after a string of competitive efforts.

“I thought he showed a nice turn of foot that day,” D’Amato said. “He’s a horse that’s going in the right direction.”

Almendares, a 6-year-old gelding by Havana Grey, is 5-1 on the morning line. Jockey Antonio Fresu was aboard for the American win and again has the call.

First post is at 1 p.m. PT for a 10-race card Monday. The Shoemaker Mile goes as the eighth race at approximately 4:30 p.m. The field in post position order: El Potente, Hector Berrios (3-1); Formidable Man, Flavien Prat (7-5); King of Gosford, Kazushi Kimura (10-1); Genius Jimmy, Juan Hernandez (20-1); Almendares, Antoinio Fresu (5-1); Mi Hermano Ramon, Emisael Jaramillo (20-1); Seal Team, Joel Rosario (12-1); Call Me Cory, Mike Smith (6-1); Twirling Point, Ricky Gonzalez (30-1).

As for the Gamely, morning line favorite Thought Process recently returned from a 6 ½-month layoff in the GII Buena Vista at one mile on turf on Feb. 26. The 4-year-old filly by Collected stalked the pace under Hector Berrios that day and then blew past the field in the stretch to win by two lengths.

“I was impressed. It looked like she did it the right way,” D’Amato said.

Last Monday, Thought Process served notice when working five furlongs in a sharp 58.8 seconds.

“We’ve been waiting for this race. She’s been training exceptionally,” D’Amato said.

Public Assembly most recently finished fourth, beaten 1 ¼ lengths in the GIII Santa Ana going 1 ¼ miles on March 15. The winner that day, Take A Breath, also returns in the Gamely.

“I think this distance is perfect for her,” D’Amato said. “A mile and a quarter might be a smidge too far for her against this kind of competition. This should fit her to a tee.”

Public Assembly in the Gamely will be ridden by Hall of Famer Joel Rosario for the first time.

The Gamely goes as the sixth race at approximately 3:30 p.m. The field in post position order: Public Assembly, Joel Rosario (10-1); Hang the Moon, Flavien Prat (8-1); A Thousand Miles, Mike Smith (30-1); Take A Breath, Emisael Jaramillo (10-1); Thought Process, Hector Berrios (7-5); Vronti, Juan Hernandez (4-1); Rashmi, Kazushi Kimura (9-2); May Day Ready, Antonio Fresu (6-1).

WORKS: BC JUVENILE RUNNER-UP MR. A. P., GOLD PHOENIX LEAD TAB Mr. A. P., sidelined since finishing second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, and Grade I-winning multi-millionaire Gold Phoenix each worked Sunday at Santa Anita.

Mr. A. P., trained by Vladimir Cerin, drilled four furlongs in 49.6 seconds. It was his third work since May 11. By American Pharoah, Mr. A. P. was beaten one length in the Juvenile by last year’s champion 2-year-old male Ted Noffey at Del Mar on Oct. 31. That big effort at 20-1 came following a maiden victory at Santa Anita. Mr. A. P. is owned by Cerin’s longtime clients David Wilson and Holly Wilson.

Gold Phoenix, trained by Phil D’Amato, drilled five furlongs on the training track in 1:00.4. It was his second work since shipping to Churchill Downs and finishing seventh in the GI Turf Classic on the Kentucky Derby undercard. An 8-year-old gelding, Gold Phoenix is 32: 11-3-5 with $2,377,087 in earnings for owners Agave Racing Stable, Little Red Feather Racing, Sterling Stables and Marsha Naify.

SADLER BAGS 2 STAKES WINS ON GOLD RUSH DAY SATURDAY Trainer John Sadler enjoyed a nice Saturday at Santa Anita with two stakes wins on Gold Rush Day. He first scored in the Crystal Water Stakes with Flyover, then added a win in the Melair Stakes with Mohaven.

On Sunday morning, Sadler reported Flyover and Mohaven—who both won impressively—exited their victories in good order.

Mohaven dominated the Melair for 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/16 miles, winning by six lengths under Emisael Jaramillo. It was her first time racing around two turns and third stakes win, all in statebred company. Sadler said Mohaven will now return to sprinting in the seven-furlong Fleet Treat Stakes for statebreds on July 24 at Del Mar. By Yaupon, Mohaven is owned by Legacy Ranch.

Flyover earned his second consecutive stakes win with a front-running victory under Antonio Fresu in the Crystal Water at one mile on turf. Previously in March, he won the Sensational Star for statebreds sprinting on the hillside turf course. Sadler said he has “a lot of choices” on where Flyover runs next. A 5-year-old horse by Om, Flyover is owned by Integrity Thoroughbred Racing, ITR LLC, The Ellwood Johnston Trust and Kenneth A. Tevelde.

FINISH LINES: Sunday’s $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 starts at 1:34 p.m. with the eighth race from Gulfstream Park…The $1 Sunset Pick 6 starts at 1:04 p.m. with the seventh race from Gulfstream…Jockey Armando Ayuso is back in a tie atop the jockey’s standings after winning two races on Saturday. Ayuso won the Snow Chief Stakes with Unrivaled Time ($6) for trainer Leonard Powell and the ninth race aboard Start the Ride ($4.40) for trainer Dan Blacker. Ayuso has 18 wins at the Hollywood Meet, which is tied with Antonio Fresu…Nominations close Sunday for both the Honeymoon Stakes to be run on June 6 and the Desert Stormer to be contested the following day.