Rispoli, Going Global cruise in Royal Heroine

ARCADIA, Calif. - For more than a year, jockey Umberto Rispoli has chased Going Global in Southern California turf stakes without success.

On Saturday at Santa Anita, Rispoli finally rode Going Global, in the Grade 2 Royal Heroine Stakes, and experienced first hand the 4-year-old filly’s brilliance.

“I worked her three or four times,” Rispoli said. “I couldn’t wait to see what she would do.”

Going Global ($2.60) outclassed three rivals in the $196,000 Royal Heroine for fillies and mares at a mile on turf. Rispoli had Going Global in second, tracking 8-1 Javanica through an opening quarter-mile in 24.59 seconds.

Going Global moved alongside Javanica on the turn and took the lead in the stretch, winning by 1 3/4 lengths over Javanica. Rispoli even peeked twice at the massive television monitor on the infield in the final sixteenth to gauge the competition.

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“You have to face it,” Rispoli said. “You’re on the best horse.”

Going Global was timed in 1:33.97. Excelerina finished third, followed by Avenue de France. Park Avenue, who was expected to be part of the pace, was withdrawn early Saturday. Going Global earned an 87 Beyer Speed Figure.

The Royal Heroine Stakes was Going Global’s seventh stakes win in the last 14 months and first start of 2022. Last December, Going Global finished sixth of 10 as the 4-5 favorite in the Grade 1 American Oaks on dirt, her only start on the surface since she arrived from Ireland in late 2020.

Going Global, by Mehmas, has won 8 of 13 starts and earned $769,292. The series of stakes wins includes the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks last August for the partnership of Michael Dubb, Michael Nentwig, Saul Gevertz, Ray Pagano, and John Rochfort and trainer Phil D’Amato.

The Royal Heroine Stakes was Rispoli’s second Grade 2 stakes win of the day. He won the Santa Anita Oaks on Desert Dawn for D’Amato earlier in the day.

Rispoli is scheduled to relocate to Kentucky next week.

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