Free: Rispoli taking his talent – and opinions – to Kentucky
ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockeys and horses are coming and going, from California to Kentucky, in this week’s cross-country notebook . . .
When jockey Umberto Rispoli relocates to Kentucky after riding Sunday at Santa Anita. California will lose a top turf jockey – and one of the most assertive. Rispoli, whose strong personality irked some trainers, makes no apologies for expressing opinions after riding a horse in a race or workout.
“Some trainers like it, some don’t like it,” Rispoli said. “Some people think I’m too tough? Or I know more than them? That’s not [true].”
Rispoli was mentored in Italy by Alduino Botti.
“He was one of the best trainers I ever worked with,” Rispoli said. “Always, when I came off a horse, he likes your opinion. Then he uses his opinion. That’s what I think should happen.”
Not everyone wants rider input, Rispoli acknowledged.
“Not everybody likes you; you cannot make everybody happy,” he said.
Personality aside, Rispoli consistently has been one of the top grass riders in California the past two years after riding in Hong Kong.
“On the grass, you can ride a tactical race,” Rispoli said. “If you’re riding a 10-1 shot on the grass, you can do something, you can try to invent something. On the dirt, it’s all about speed and getting well out of the gate.”
Rispoli entered his final week at Santa Anita seventh in the standings.
Hernandez the heir apparent
Recently relocated Flavien Prat still leads the Santa Anita jockey standings, 72-53, going into the week’s racing. But second-leading rider Juan Hernandez, likely successor as top rider, has quietly polished his role the past two months. Since Feb. 5, Hernandez has won more races (35) at Santa Anita than anyone. Now that Prat is gone, and with Umberto Rispoli and John Velazquez leaving after this weekend, Hernandez should reach the top of the Santa Anita standings by early May.
Happy Soul all the way?
The likely pacesetter in the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes on Friday at Keeneland will try to do something not done in 18 years – win the Ashland in her first route. Madcap Escapade in 2004 is the only filly this century to win the mile and a sixteenth Ashland first time going long, a feat stakes-winning sprinter Happy Soul will try to repeat.
Her 5-2 program price seems short against distance-proven favorite Nest and Interstatedaydream, but Happy Soul is the one to catch.
This handicapper drank the Kool-Aid on California shipper Awake At Midnyte, third last out in a Grade 2 at Fair Grounds. If she improves in her second dirt route, Awake At Midnyte can win the Ashland with a pressing trip. She is listed 4-1.
Secret’s out on Secret Oath
Though many see undefeated Echo Zulu as the early favorite for the Kentucky Oaks, I suspect Secret Oath could vie for favoritism following a bad-trip third against boys in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby. The complexion of the Oaks, and favoritism, should crystallize this week.
Following the Ashland on Friday at Keeneland are two stakes on Saturday that will have an impact on the Kentucky Oaks field. Adare Manor looks formidable in the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks, as does Venti Valentine in the Grade 3 Gazelle at Aqueduct.
For what it’s worth, European bookmakers list Echo Zulu as the early Oaks favorite in the 7-2 to 4-1 range. Three other fillies are virtual co-second choices at about 5-1 – Secret Oath, Adare Manor, and Kathleen O.
Candy Raid: Upset special
How do you find a $106.60 winner? Candy Raid’s trainer Keith Desormeaux said track surface was a key factor in her Bourbonette Oaks upset April 2 at Turfway Park.
“I guess the only way you could like her was she was switching to [Tapeta],” said Desormeaux, adding that her Fair Grounds races – an eighth in the Fair Grounds Oaks and a fourth in the Silverbulletday – were “deceivingly good races.”
“The pedigree is there, by Candy Ride,” he said. “It’s not like she’s off-the-wall-bred.”
Last Samurai, her stakes-winning sibling, finished second in a $150,000 stakes at Oaklawn on Saturday. As for Candy Raid, bettors will soon get another chance to back her at high odds. Following her 83-Beyer upset win at Turfway, her next stop is the Kentucky Oaks.
Going Global tough off layoff
Even though she has not started since she was drilled at odds-on three months ago, Going Global should be tough in the Grade 2 Royal Heroine Stakes on the turf Saturday at Santa Anita.
“She is training as good as she ever has,” trainer Phil D’Amato said.
D’Amato took responsibility for her sixth-place finish in the Grade 1 American Oaks on Dec. 26. The race was moved from turf to dirt.
“I should have scratched and not run,” D’Amato said.
Going Global, who won five graded turf stakes last year, returns to preferred footing Saturday.
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More not always better
An unexpected trainer stat materialized at Santa Anita concerning Phil D’Amato, who is expected to start at least two in the Royal Heroine – Going Global and Excelerina. The D’Amato-trained Leggs Galore will run in the Royal Heroine or the Grade 3 Monrovia Stakes against stablemate Alice Marble.
The stat: D’Amato runners at this meet are 9 for 66 (13 percent) in races with a stablemate also in the field. Meanwhile, D’Amato runners are 22 for 86 (25 percent) in races without a stablemate. D’Amato starters in multiple-starter races produced a flat-bet loss; solo runners produced a $2.40 return per $2 win wager. Strange.
Storm the Court sharp in return
Skepticism is expected regarding 5-year-old Storm the Court, the 2019 champion juvenile male who is winless since his $93.80 shocker in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile that year. Yet a promising comeback April 2 at Oaklawn Park, his first start in more than a year, hints that Storm the Court is not done yet.
Breaking from the rail in a dirt sprint, he dueled on a hot pace, hung tough to deep stretch, and missed by less than three lengths. Jockey Flavien Prat called Santa Anita-based trainer Peter Eurton afterward. “[Prat] said he’ll be extremely tough next time,” Eurton said.
Look for Storm the Court in a two-other-than turf route.
Eurton not hurtin’ for talent
Another top Eurton comebacker seeks a restart in an upcoming allowance. Dream Shake, third last year in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby and runner-up to Jackie’s Warrior in the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile, will ship to Keeneland for a sprint comeback.
Eurton said Dream Shake is among “a handful” going to Keeneland, including N3X-eligible Canadian Pride and first-level allowance turf filly I Got a Gal. Locally at Santa Anita, Queen of Thorns is home following her lost-rider debacle in the Sunland Oaks. She is tack-walking after she grabbed a quarter and blew a shoe. Sharapova, winner of the Harry Henson Stakes at Sunland, will aim for the Grade 2 Santa Margarita Stakes on April 30.
Ike strikes with longshot
Saturday-morning, radio listeners to “Thoroughbred Los Angeles” on AM 830 heard host Bob Ike make a case for a longshot in the ninth race at Santa Anita. He said the filly “had a very, very tough trip (last out). . . . I’m going to give her one more chance in a wide-open, good betting race.”
Xmas Surprise rallied from seventh, won by a length, and paid $37. Great selection.
In the interest of fairness, it should be noted Ike also liked Villanova +4 against Kansas in the NCAA tournament. Final score: Kansas 81, Villanova 65.
Statebred distaff division thin
Closing Remarks is the latest California-bred stakes filly to be sidelined. The 4-year-old emerged from her fourth-place finish in the Grade 3 Santa Ana Stakes on March 26 at Santa Anita with an unspecified knee issue.
“She’ll be out for a little while, probably fall,” trainer Carla Gaines said.
Closing Remarks is 4 for 13 including a Cal-bred stakes win, and she has placed in four graded races. Closing Remarks is the latest defection in the once-deep Cal-bred filly and mare division, which recently lost the retired Grade 1 Mucho Unusual and the late graded winner Warren’s Showtime.
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Siblings with little in common
Perhaps it is not so unusual for one broodmare to produce such different types of horses as Not Unusual has for breeder George Krikorian and trainer Tim Yakteen.
Not Unusual is the dam of recently retired Mucho Unusual and recent comeback winner Big Talker. Similarities? “None,” Yakteen said.
Mucho Unusual, by Mucho Macho Man, “was on the smaller, athletic side,” Yakteen said.
Yakteen said that Big Talker, a gelding by Mr. Big “is a bigger individual, more coarse, tough.”
Big Talker won a Cal-bred allowance March 26, a day after Mucho Unusual was covered by American Pharoah. Big Talker is a full brother to Grade 3 winner Big Score. Stay tuned.