Rispoli returns in a big way on Baffert prospect Faran
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For a few moments after he was unseated from Unconquerable Keen in the stretch of the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint in late January, jockey Umberto Rispoli thought he escaped injury.
“I didn’t feel the pain when I was on the ground,” he said last weekend.
Instinctively, Rispoli felt his collarbone, an area in which riders are often hurt. It was fine. It was then Rispoli realized he had sustained a severe leg injury.
“I’m putting my hands down and I’m about to stand and I looked at my leg,” he said. “The first words I said were, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’ I wasn’t screaming. I wasn’t in pain.”
Rispoli was diagnosed with fractures to his fibula and ankle and damaged ligaments.
Almost five months to the day after the injury, Rispoli returned to riding with a win at Los Alamitos last Saturday in a maiden race aboard the 3-year-old Faran, a $3.4 million yearling purchase trained by Bob Baffert for Amr Zedan.
Faran gave Rispoli his first win since Jan. 19, five days before Unconquerable Keen clipped heels and unseated the 37-year-old jockey.
Faran was the start of a comeback that will include a brief stay at Ellis Park for Rispoli before he returns to California for the start of the Del Mar summer meeting on July 17. At the most recent Del Mar meeting last fall, Rispoli led all riders with 17 wins, three more than Antonio Fresu.
On the day he was injured in January, Rispoli led the standings at the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting.
Rispoli’s recovery began the day after the injury in January, when he underwent surgery at Aventura Hospital in Florida under the direction of Dr. Andrew Hiller. Over the next few months, rehabilitation took Rispoli to Europe and the Middle East.
The ligament damage postponed his return by 30 to 60 days.
“There was a tear there,” Rispoli said. “They need to repair it and that’s why it took so long.”
During his rehabilitation, Rispoli spent several weeks in Madrid, Spain, under the direction of physiotherapist Joaquin Juan, who has worked with leading athletes in Europe.
Rispoli has remained in touch with Juan and his staff.
“They still send me work to do,” Rispoli said of his exercise regimen.
In the spring, Rispoli visited Dubai for more treatment.
“It was more therapy stuff to intensify the recovery,” Rispoli said.
Before returning to California, Rispoli spent time in France, where he exercised a few horses for his father-in-law, the former jockey Gerald Mosse, who is now a trainer.
Rispoli resumed exercising horses at Santa Anita on June 12. He worked Faran later in June.
Faran, a 3-5 favorite, disputed the pace throughout a maiden race at 6 1/2 furlongs and won by 1 3/4 lengths, giving Rispoli his first career win for Baffert.
“He’s been working really awesome,” Rispoli said as he walked back to the jockeys’ room. “I was lucky to work him.
“He made me work a little bit. It was hard to make him switch leads, which in the morning he always does perfectly. He wasn’t really focused. I think this race will bring him up a lot. I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him. When you sit on that kind of limousine, you enjoy the trip. After five months to come back with a winner, I’m a little emotional.”
At Ellis Park, Rispoli is booked on two mounts Friday and four on Sunday’s program, including Victory Music in the $175,000 Pea Patch Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf for trainer Mike Maker.
Rispoli, a native of Italy, had the best season of his American career in 2025, winning 130 races with mounts that earned more than $13.4 million. Rispoli, who moved from Hong Kong to California in late 2019, won his first Triple Crown race last year with Journalism in the Preakness Stakes.
Last summer at Del Mar, Rispoli finished fourth in the standings with 24 wins. He won seven stakes, ranking second in that category to Juan Hernandez.
Major stakes wins are a goal this summer.
“I never go for titles. I go for big races,” Rispoli said. “If the title comes around, I’d like to be first.
“You don’t have to win the title to prove how good you are. I don’t think so.”
A more immediate concern is proving that he is back.
“It’s tough. I’ve been five months out,” Rispoli said. “There are still people that have doubts. Will he be ready? Will he be okay? Should we put him on the horses?
“I always said for the owners, the trainers, and my colleagues, I was only going to come back only if I’m 200 percent so I don’t put anyone in danger. When I guy like Bob Baffert gives you a shot on a three and a half million dollar horse, I think you can put me on any type of horse. I think I’m ready to go.”
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