Balnikhov noses Rio King in San Francisco Mile, caps Rispoli's great day
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An old friend in the 4-year-old gelding Balnikhov helped jockey Umberto Rispoli cap a milestone day at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday with a record-equaling third stakes win on the afternoon in the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile.
Balnikhov closed from last of nine to take the lead in the final furlong and was fully extended to hold off the former $20,000 claimer Rio King.
Sent off favored, Balnikhov ($4.80) won by a nose in a thrilling finish. He was timed in 1:36.26 in the turf race and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 96.
The $251,800 San Francisco Mile was the fourth time the 34-year-old Rispoli rode Balnikhov since last summer. Previously, they teamed to win the restricted Oceanside Stakes at Del Mar last July, but were later fourth in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby and only seventh of eight in the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita last month.
The experience of those races helped in the San Francisco Mile, Rispoli told a television audience after the race.
“I know he likes to get really far back,” Rispoli said. “My worry was to find a spot. I knew if I could send him through at the top of the stretch, he would go.”
Last on the first turn, Balnikhov was still at the rear of the field at the end of the backstretch. Rispoli had Balnikhov on the rail on the turn and moved the gelding wide entering the stretch. Balnikhov closed steadily to take the lead from 56-1 Il Bellator in the final furlong, only to be challenged by 51-1 Rio King.
Rispoli said Balnikhov began to ease late, but had enough to beat Rio King.
“He put on the brakes in the last sixteenth waiting for the other horse,” he said.
Rio King, the winner of three starts in overnight races since early February, had his stakes debut in the San Francisco Mile. He finished a half-length in front of Il Bellator, who had his 2023 debut on Saturday. Il Bellator won the California Derby on the 2022 San Francisco Mile program.
The remaining order of finish was Dicey Mo Chara, Flavius, Lamplighter Jack, Tarantino, Tesoro and Bob and Jackie.
The three stakes wins on Saturday equaled Rispoli’s most productive day since he moved to the United States from Hong Kong in late 2019. Rispoli won three stakes on a day at Santa Anita last October.
Rispoli won four of 10 races at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday. He had four four-win days at Del Mar in 2020.
Balnikhov is trained by Phil D’Amato for the partnership of Little Red Feather Racing, Old Bones Racing and Madaket Stable. Balnikhov has won 6 of 17 starts in France and the United States and earned $588,843.
Aside from the Oceanside Stakes, Balnikhov won the Grade 3 Bryan Station Stakes at Keeneland last October and was second by a nose in the Grade 2 Mathis Mile at Santa Anita in December. Tyler Gaffalione rode Balnikhov in those races.
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