Hang the Moon returns to California after being transferred to Florida-based trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr., and takes on seven rivals in the $300,000 Gamely Stakes (G1) over the Santa Anita turf on Monday.
The Gamely for fillies and mares 3 and up going 1 1/8 miles is one of three featured races on Memorial Day at The Great Race Place; the others are the $300,000 Shoemaker Mile (G1), and the $200,000 Hollywood Gold Cup (G2). Joseph also sends out Forged Steel in the Gold Cup.
Formerly trained by Phil D’Amato, the 6-year-old Hang the Moon has raced twice for Joseph since being purchased for $625,000 by Twin Oaks Bloodstock, winning an allowance optional claimer in February after a fourth-month break and running second by a neck in the Sand Springs Stakes on March 28, both at Gulfstream Park.
“We’re not bringing the favorite like we did with Skippy,” Joseph said. “Hang the Moon has a good shot. We’re optimistic.”
A year ago, Joseph had a huge day at Santa Anita, winning the Gamely with Be Your Best and the Gold Cup with Skippylongstocking.
Hang the Moon, 8-1 on the morning line, will be ridden by Flavien Prat from post 2. A daughter of Uncle Mo, Hang the Moon is familiar with the turf at Santa Anita. She won the 2024 Rodeo Drive Stakes (G2), and last year ran sixth in the Robert J. Frankel Stakes (G2) and seventh in the Rodeo Drive.
The competition is tough, with Thought Process the 7-5 favorite for (guess who?) Phil D’Amato. Take a Breath is 10-1 for trainer Mark Glatt.
Thought Process returned from a six-month layoff and won the 1-mile Buena Vista Stakes (G2 in February at Santa Anita. Last year, as a 3-year-old, she won the San Clemente Stakes (G2) at Del Mar and won a pair of Grade 3 races as a 2-year-old. With a 6-0-2 record in nine races, Thought Process is a deserving favorite. Hector Berrios has the call from post 5.
Take A Breath and May Day Ready (6-1), who ran 1-2 in the 1-mile Royal Heroine Stakes on April 25, are back for the Gamely. Take a Breath also won the Santa Ana Stakes (G3) at 1 1/4 miles on March 15.
“The mile and an eighth will probably be up her alley,” Glatt said. Since arriving in America from England last summer, the now 4-year-old filly was 0-for-5 before winning her last two starts.
“She needed a bit of time to acclimate,” Glatt said. “She had some tough trips.”
Vronti, for trainer H. Graham Motion, is the 4-1 second betting choice. The 4-year-old England-bred filly has run three times for the Motion since arriving in America, including her first two career victories, a maiden score in February at Tampa Bay Downs and an allowance win at Keeneland on April 12.
1 Public Assembly (Joel Rosario, Phil D'Amato), 10-1
2 Hang the Moon (Flavien Prat, Saffie Joseph, Jr.), 8-1
3 A Thousand Miles (Mike Smith, Vann Belvoir), 30-1
4 Take A Breath (Emisael Jaramillo, Mark Glatt), 10-1
5 Thought Process (Hector Berrios, Phil D'Amato), 7-5
6 Vronti (Juan Hernandez, H. Graham Motion), 4-1
7 Rashmi (Kizushi Kimura, Jonathan Thomas), 9-2
8 May Day Ready (Antonio Fresu, Richard Mandella), 6-1
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
