Rispoli hopeful for Saturday, Fresu to serve suspension

Jockey Umberto Rispoli took off his four scheduled mounts at Del Mar on Friday to recover from the effects of being unseated in Thursday’s first race.

Rispoli and his agent, Matt Nakatani, said the rider hopes to ride Saturday’s Pacific Classic program. Rispoli has mounts in all 11 races that day.

On Thursday, Rispoli was aboard 5-2 favorite Single Track Mind who was racing behind the leaders in early stretch when he sustained a bump and clipped heels with a rival. Single Track Mind stumbled, unseating Rispoli, who fell heavily. Rispoli appeared to be struck by a trailing horse.

Single Track Mind ran off and was later caught by an outrider.

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Rispoli was taken to a local hospital where he underwent a battery of tests before being released in the early evening.

In a phone interview on Thursday evening, Rispoli said he had bruises “on my legs and chest,” but otherwise avoided a serious injury.

At the time, Rispoli was already aiming for a Saturday return to riding.

“I’ll do everything I can to recover as much as I can,” he said. “I’ll ride if I can feel it is safe for me, my riding colleagues and my owners.”

Tom and Jazzy, who finished second in Thursday’s first race, was disqualified and listed as unplaced for bumping Single Track Mind. His rider, apprentice Armando Aguilar, was scheduled to meet with track stewards on Friday regarding the incident. Aguilar faces a possible suspension.

Through Thursday, Rispoli has won 20 races at the Del Mar summer meeting, and is ranked third in the standings behind Juan Hernandez with 28 wins. Rispoli did not ride the racing week of Aug. 24-27 while riding in a promotional event in Japan.

Thursday’s incident occurred on Rispoli’s 35th birthday.

“What a way to celebrate,” he said.

Fresu to serve eight days

Jockey Antonio Fresu, currently second in the standings at the Del Mar summer meeting, has been given an eight-day suspension for an accumulation of penalties for excessive use of the whip, track stewards wrote in two rulings on Thursday.

Most recently, Fresu was cited for his winning ride on Sanger in the seventh race Aug. 27, a $50,000 claiming race for maidens at six furlongs. Fresu was faulted by stewards Luis Jauregui, Kim Sawyer, and Rich Williams for striking Sanger seven times, one more than the permitted limit. Sanger won by a nose.

Fresu was suspended from riding Sept. 8 and fined $250 for his ride on Sanger. Because the penalty was his fourth such infraction in the last six months, Fresu was suspended an additional seven days.

Fresu is scheduled to miss the final three days of the current Del Mar meeting – Sept. 8-10, and the first five days of the Los Alamitos September meeting – Sept. 15-17 and 22-23.

Through Thursday, Fresu had 24 wins, five less than leader Juan Hernandez.

Despite the suspension, Fresu will be eligible to ride the four graded stakes at Del Mar on Sept. 9-10, the final two days of the track’s summer meeting.

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