Closing Remarks takes narrow Yellow Ribbon Handicap victory
?q=100)
DEL MAR, Calif. - Closing Remarks was in a familiar position turning into the stretch of the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Handicap on turf at Del Mar on Saturday.
As has been the case in many of her starts in recent years, the 5-year-old Closing Remarks was well-placed behind the leaders. The style worked in the Grade 2 Royal Heroine Stakes at Santa Anita in April, but not in the Grade 3 Wilshire Stakes in late April when she raced wide and finished fourth, or the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes on May 29 when she clipped heels in a spooky incident and finished sixth of seven.
This time, Closing Remarks had a trouble-free trip under jockey Umberto Rispoli and was tested to the wire before winning by a neck as the 2-1 favorite.
Closing Remarks ($6.60) ran 1 1/16 miles on turf in 1:42.01 in the $251,000 Yellow Ribbon Handicap for fillies and mares. Closing Remarks earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 85.
“She was unlucky in the last few races,” Rispoli said. “She proved she can compete with those horses.”
Rispoli was aboard Closing Remarks for the first time since the autumn of 2021.
In the Yellow Ribbon, Rispoli had Closing Remarks in third on the inside for the first six furlongs, in pursuit of 10-1 Ganadora, who set an early pace of 23.33 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 47.48 for a half-mile. Rispoli kept Closing Remarks on the inside to the turn when he moved the filly to the outside for space.
Ganadora led by a half-length with a furlong remaining, but was passed late by Closing Remarks and 9-2 Spirit and Glory, who closed well on the inside in the final furlong under jockey Hector Berrios.
Spirit and Glory, trained by Robert Falcone Jr., was the only shipper in the field of seven. She won the Virginia Oaks at Colonial Downs last September and the Miss Liberty Stakes at Monmouth Park in May, and had her best finish in a graded stakes in the Yellow Ribbon.
Closing Remarks “had a perfect trip,” Falcone said. “Hector had no choice but to go inside. I think the trip made the difference.”
Ganadora, in her first start on turf, held third, followed by Lucky Girl, Turnerloose, Awake At Midnyte and School Dance.
Closing Remarks races for owner and breeder John Harris and trainer Carla Gaines, and has won 5 of 21 starts and earned $711,320. The Royal Heroine and Yellow Ribbon are her most prestigious wins.
By Vronsky, Closing Remarks also won the $200,000 California Cup Oaks for statebred 3-year-old fillies on turf at Santa Anita in 2021.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.