Rispoli, Rock Your World headed to Churchill Downs on business

Last November, a few days before the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland, jockey Umberto Rispoli drove to Louisville, Ky., to get a first-hand look of racing at Churchill Downs. Rispoli did not have a mount, but wanted to visit the historic track.

In a few weeks, Rispoli will return to Churchill Downs with a much greater purpose. On May 1, he is scheduled to ride the undefeated Rock Your World in the Kentucky Derby and the top turf horse Smooth Like Strait in the Grade 1 Old Forester Turf Classic.

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Rock Your World confirmed his status as a Kentucky Derby contender with a front-running win under Rispoli in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby last Saturday. For Rispoli, who relocated from Hong Kong to California in December 2019, the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby was his richest win in the United States and the third-richest win of his career behind Grade 1 or Group 1 wins in Japan in 2011 and Hong Kong in 2012.

Rispoli has ridden Rock Your World in the colt’s three races, including a successful stakes debut in the $100,000 Pasadena Stakes at a mile on turf on Feb. 27. Rock Your World stalked the pace in the Pasadena. In the Santa Anita Derby, Rock Your World pulled clear through the stretch to win by 4 1/4 lengths for owners Pete and Kosta Hronis and trainer John Sadler.

“I watched the race probably 100 times,” Rispoli said. “Not 100, but a bunch of times. I didn’t see only my horse. I wanted to see how the others went into the trip and their racing. It was one of the best feelings I’ve had in my career, winning such an important race here in America.

“We know that if they win the Santa Anita Derby, they are huge prospects for the Kentucky Derby.”

The win coincided with the return of racing fans to Santa Anita over the weekend after Los Angeles County officials allowed limited crowds to return to outdoor sporting events. Fans had not attended racing at Santa Anita since early March of 2020 because of the pandemic. The recharged atmosphere was a welcome addition, Rispoli said.

“It was so good when I came back on the horse,” he said. “It was a good feeling hearing the people cheering. We missed that feeling for a year. We need that back.”

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Rispoli, 32, was third in the standings at Santa Anita through Sunday with 42 wins, 40 behind leader Flavien Prat and nine behind second-place Juan Hernandez. Those positions will not change this weekend. Rispoli will be at Keeneland, where his list of rides includes Igloo in Friday’s Limestone Turf Sprint and Maxim Rate in Saturday’s Grade 1 Jenny Wiley Stakes.

“It will be good to freshen the mind and go to a different track and deal with different types of jockeys,” Rispoli said.

Smooth Like Strait was considered for Friday’s Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile at Keeneland, but will start at Churchill Downs instead, trainer Michael McCarthy said in a text message on Wednesday.

Last June, Rispoli finished last of seven in the Santa Anita Derby on the outsider Azul Coast.

“This year I was on one of the favorites,” he said. “How things can change in a year. All the hard work gives you an opportunity to jump on the good horses. Sometimes you need a chance.”