Anisette surges to Yellow Ribbon triumph

DEL MAR, Calif. - At a distance arguably shorter than her best trip, Anisette showed why she was a massive favorite in Saturday’s Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Handicap for fillies and mares on turf at Del Mar.

Anisette ($2.60) closed from fifth to take the lead in the final sixteenth and win her third consecutive graded stakes since last December.

Anisette finished 1 1/4 lengths in front of 5-1 Uncorked and 15-1 Fuente Ovejuna, who finished in a dead heat for second. The margin of victory was deceptive, according to winning jockey Umberto Rispoli.

"I won easier than it showed," Rispoli said.

Anisette was timed in 1:40.94 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 90.

For the first half of the race, Anisette was well behind 25-1 Ever Smart, who led by as many as four lengths through a solid early pace of 22.98 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 46.13 for a half-mile. The lead was gone on the turn, when 8-1 Bellabel took over.

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Rispoli moved Anisette closer to the front entering the stretch and rallied between Uncorked and Fuente Ovejuna to reach the front.

Lucky Girl finished fourth, followed by Bellabel and Ever Smart.

Anisette was the 126-pound topweight, spotting her rivals from six to eight pounds.

“We had to carry more weight,” trainer Leonard Powell said.

Aside from a hefty weight assignment, Powell said he was impressed with Anisette’s rally through the final furlong.

“A mile and a sixteenth is a little short for her,” Powell said.

Anisette, who races for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, has won 7 of 11 starts and earned $906,871. A 4-year-old filly, Anisette is by Cape Cross stallion Awtaad and was bred in Britain.

The $200,500 Yellow Ribbon Stakes was her sixth win in eight starts since arriving from Britain in early 2023.

The six wins include victories in five stakes at distances ranging from a mile to 1 1/4 miles. Anisette has won three Grade 1 races. Last year, she won the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks at 1 1/8 miles in August, and the Grade 1 American Oaks at 1 1/4 miles at Santa Anita in December.

The Yellow Ribbon Handicap was Anisette’s second start of 2024. She won the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf in her debut against older fillies and mares at Santa Anita on May 27.

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