A bigger cinch could show up later this summer, but on the first Saturday of the Del Mar meet, the Grade 2 San Clemente looks like a cakewalk for the favorite.
Thought Process, a smashing comeback winner at Santa Anita, enters the San Clemente as a standout. Nothing against likely second choice Will Then, but for her the San Clemente is a means to an end. Will Then has not raced in nearly three months. Thought Process is razor sharp.
Nine 3-year-old turf fillies are entered in the one-mile San Clemente, race 9, which leads to the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks at 1 1/8 miles on Aug. 16. The supporting feature Saturday is the $100,000 Wickerr Stakes, race 7, for older turf milers.
In addition to Thought Process and Will Then, the San Clemente field includes stakes winners Jungle Peace, Casalu, and Firenze Flavor, and stakes-placed As Catch Can and Amorita. None are better than Thought Process, a multiple stakes winner who smoked a mile on turf in 1:33.35 in her recent allowance comeback. She won by nearly six lengths for trainer Phil D’Amato.
“We had a nice prep closing weekend [at Santa Anita], she won easily, impressively,” D’Amato said. “That’s the race we needed to have her ready to do the same thing in the San Clemente. She’s doing phenomenal.”
Favorites won the San Clemente five of the last six years. Hector Berrios rides Thought Process, who won two stakes last year, including the Grade 3 Surfer Girl at Santa Anita. Thought Process subsequently set the pace in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf before weakening to ninth. She then took seven months off to gear up for summer.
Thought Process has trained exceptionally well since her comeback, and her versatile style gives Berrios the option of tucking in right behind the speed.
D’Amato also entered Jungle Peace, who shortens to a mile after finishing third by a head in the 1 1/8-mile, Grade 3 Honeymoon at Santa Anita. Jungle Peace, whose rider is Antonio Fresu, is quick enough to set or press the pace. She is likely to be hounded by Silent Law.
Will Then and As Catch Can, both trained by Jonathan Thomas, are the main threats to the favorite. Will Then won the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes last year at Del Mar and a minor stakes this spring at Santa Anita, then finished fifth in the Grade 2 Edgewood Stakes at Churchill Downs.
“I thought she ran respectably, probably a little far off it in a paceless affair against horses with a really good turn of foot,” Thomas said. “She hung in there and didn’t disgrace herself.”
Two from the Edgewood won their next start, including now five-time stakes winner Nitrogen.
Will Then is fast enough on numbers to win the San Clemente, but Thomas said one mile “is going to be a little sharp for her against these types.” He added, “It looks like there’s plenty of pace. More importantly is getting a race under her belt, hopefully to get her to the Del Mar Oaks.”
Mike Smith rides Will Then in a field that includes front-runners/pace-pressers Thought Process, Amorita, Jungle Peace, and Silent Law.
As Catch Can is multiple stakes-placed from nine starts.
“She’s probably a little more seasoned, and I think the mile is going to flatter her,” Thomas said. “Depending on the pace, if she can find herself with not too much left to do and [the race] falls apart, she might be right there.”
As Catch Can, whose rider is Vincent Cheminaud, benefits by the pace scenario.
“She’s just missed in a couple scenarios, she’s got a stake out there with her name on it,” Thomas said. Will Then already has two.
“At the end of the day, they’re probably going to end up two very different horses. As Catch Can will be a miler, maybe sneak down the hill once in a while. [Will Then] is going to be running a mile and a quarter, mile and [three-eighths] in a year.”
The San Clemente is the first leg of the $3 late pick three, a new Del Mar wager with a 15 percent takeout rate on the final three races daily. Eleven races are scheduled Saturday.
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