Hit the Road, Rispoli make it look easy in Oceanside Stakes

DEL MAR, Calif. – The colt Hit the Road hinted at great promise last summer at Del Mar when he won against maidens. Jockey Umberto Rispoli hinted at great promise earlier this year at Santa Anita, his first full season in Southern California.

Together, they have even greater promise.

Hit the Road looked like the antepost favorite for the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby later this meet with an authoritative victory Friday against 11 3-year-olds in the $103,500 Runhappy Oceanside Stakes, the traditional opening-day feature of this untraditional Del Mar meeting.

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Rispoli was the day’s riding star, with three victories, and he gave the favored Hit the Road ($5.20) an ideal trip going one mile on turf in the Oceanside. He was positioned saving ground just behind the early leaders, then split Silardi and Margot’s Boy a furlong out and kicked clear.

He won by 1 3/4 lengths over Kanderel, who closed from well back to finish one length in front of Ajourneytofreedom. Rookie Mistake was fourth, then came, in order, I’m Leaving You, Margot’s Boy, K P All Systems Go, Heywoods Beach, Silardi, Tizamagician, El Tigre Terrible, and Howbeit.

Hit the Road completed one mile on firm turf in 1:35.09.

The victory was the fourth in seven starts for Hit the Road, who is 2 for 2 this year since returning from a layoff of more than five months. This was his second stakes win. He captured the Zuma Beach last fall at Santa Anita.

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“Umberto did such a good job positioning him,” said his trainer, Dan Blacker, in an interview on TVG with his wife, Christina. “Umberto fits him so well. The horse is so smart, so talented.”

Rispoli said he intended to be forwardly placed early because “the track was fast.”

“I didn’t want to be so far back,” he told Britney Eurton on TVG.

Rispoli said the abrupt stretch caught him off guard.

“I haven’t figured it out yet,” he said, laughing.

Hit the Road, a colt by More Than Ready, is owned by an extensive partnership that includes D K Racing LLC, Radley Equine Inc., Taste of Victory Stables, Rick Gold, and Dave Odmark.

Del Mar reported handle of $15,346,805, an increase of 3.4 percent from last year's $14,821,720.