DEL MAR — Philip D’Amato is back.

After winning outright or sharing the trainers’ title for four straight Del Mar meetings, D’Amato was shut out in 2024. Bob Baffert edged D’Amato by two wins to claim the premier championship last summer and Mark Glatt triumphed during the fall meeting.

But D’Amato served notice that he might be returning to form Saturday as he saddled both winners in the stakes doubleheader at Del Mar.

Thought Process, who went off as the 2-to-5 favorite, cruised to a 1 3/4-length victory under Hector Berrios in the $200,000, Grade 2 San Clemente Handicap. Two races earlier, Almendares sped past four horses in the stretch to win the $100,000 Wickerr Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths under jockey Antonio Fresu.

Almendares’ victory was D’Amato’s 300th career win at Del Mar. And Saturday’s victories produced his 66th and 67th stakes wins at the seaside oval.

“You never get tired of this, especially at Del Mar,” D’Amato said of his stakes double.

Both races were one-mile tests on the turf. The San Clemente was for 3-year-old fillies and is a stepping stone for the Del Mar Oaks. The Wickerr is for older horses and a stepping stone for the Del Mar Mile.

In his post-race comments, D’Amato indicated both his winners were headed toward those bigger races at the end of the summer meeting. He also praised the work of both Berrios and Fresu — each of whom had three wins on the afternoon.

Just off the lead at the half-mile, Thought Process, a daughter of Collected, sped away in the stretch.

“She led in the stretch and then she went,” said Berrios. “She made it out easy. She’s a big filly. I tried to let her relax, but the pace was slow so I let her out. I didn’t want to get stuck inside.”

Almendares broke seventh in a field of 10 in the Wickerr and hadn’t advanced as they reached the ¾-pole. But the British-bred 5-year-old gelding blew past the opposition in the stretch. He paid $6.60, $4.00 and $3.20.

“I was just keeping him comfortable for the early part,” explained Fresu. “He was doing fine. Then a little something opened up near the head of the stretch and we went through. He’s older now and stronger. It will be interesting to see where he goes from here.”

D’Amato said he noticed a positive change in Almendares.

“Just the way he drew away,” said D’Amato. “He’s the kind of horse that when he wins, he wins by an inch. But today he got a great trip, split horses and powered away. A beautiful ride. Fresu seems to get the best from him. I couldn’t have asked for anything better. We freshened him up, pointing to the Del Mar meet. This was a great prep for the Del Mar Mile.

The opening weekend concludes today with the $100,000 Osunitas Stakes topping the 11-race program.

Two horses returning from long breaks are featured in the one-mile turf race that has attracted 12 older fillies and mares.

Medoro, a 4-year-old daughter of Honor Code, is the slight 3-1 morning line favorite. Umberto Rispoli, who usually rides San Clemente winner Thought Process, returns to Del Mar after winning Saturday’s Haskell Stakes with Journalism, to ride Medoro in her 2025 debut. She had a win, two seconds and two thirds in five straight graded races over the final eight months of 2024.

“We gave her some time off after a pretty long campaign as a 3-year-old,” said trainer Peter Eurton.

Also returning from a long layoff is the 6-year-old, French-bred Nadette (Mike Smith), who hasn’t raced since Jan. 19 after making 10 starts (nine in graded stakes in 2024). Second favored in the field is Queen Maxima, who has won five straight races, including two Grade 3 stakes, under Juan Hernandez.

Notable

Jockey Tiago Pereira was hospitalized with a jaw injury after being thrown from Origami in Saturday’s fifth race. Origami went down after clipping the heels of Border Control at the end of the backstretch in a 5-furlong turf sprint for 3-year-old fillies. Origami walked into the van and was returned to the barn uninjured.