Jockey Hector I. Berrios made Memorial Day Monday a truly memorable one not only by piloting Thought Process to her first Gr. 1 win in the Gamely Stakes but it was also Berrios's first win in the prestigious turf race for fillies and mares three-years-old and up.
The panel of racing experts voted Berrios Jockey of the Week for May 18-May 25.
Leading Santa Anita trainer Phil D'Amato gave a leg up to Berrios in the Gamely (G1) aboard the four-year-old Thought Process who was coming off a win in the Buena Vista Stakes (G2) in February.
Off as the favorite in the field of eight, Thought Process broke alertly and raced in second behind pacesetter Rashmi with Kazushi Kimura in the saddle. As the field approached the top of the stretch, Thought Process collared Rashmi to take the lead and win by 2-3/4 lengths in 1:47.51 for the mile and one-eighth turf test.
"Once I came up to the other filly (Rashmi), I asked her and she responded great," Berrios said to Santa Anita publicity department.
Berrios is the regular jockey of the filly and has now ridden her in seven of her 10 career starts and six of her seven wins.
The 39-year-old Berrios is a native of Santiago, Chile where he won over 2500 races. He first came to the United States in 2011 but returned to Chile for the next seven years. Returning to the U.S. in 2018, he rode at Gulfstream Park until 2022 when the opportunity to try the southern California circuit of Santa Anita and Del Mar presented itself. Since then, he has gained a well-earned reputation as one of the top turf riders on the circuit.
Berrios won his first Breeders' Cup race in 2025 at Del Mar aboard Super Corredora in the Juvenile Fillies (G1) for trainer John Sadler. He regularly finishes in the top 10 of the rider standings and is currently in sixth place at the Santa Anita meet.
Other nominees for Jockey of the Week included: Florent Geroux, who won the Winning Colors (G3) at Churchill Downs; Geovanni Franco, who won the Steve Sexton Mile (G3) at Lone Star; Juan Hernandez, who recorded his 3000th North American career win at Santa Anita; Irad Ortiz Jr., who won three stakes races at Lone Star and reigning Eclipse Award winner; and Flavien Prat, who won the Shoemaker Mile (G1) and the Hollywood Gold Cup (G2).
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