umberto rispoli | Horse Racing Free Tips

Upcoming Del Mar Stakes Feature Two-Year-Olds, Rock Your World

Four stakes that spotlight promising 2-year-olds, the second leg of the series for 3-year-olds, and the 69th running of the Yellow Ribbon for older fillies and mares on turf comprise a six-pack of added-money events for the fourth week of the meeting starting Thursday at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

The $100,000 California Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Stakes, at 5 ½ furlongs for California-bred 2-year-old fillies initiates things on Thursday. From a list of 12 nominations, a field of nine was entered Saturday with Jorge Periban-trained At the Spa significantly coming in off a victory in a $100,000 stakes at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., in June.

The post position draw was to be held later in the day. The field in alphabetical order with jockeys in parenthesis: At the Spa (Tyler Baze); Carmen Miranda (Giovanni Franco); Drizella (Juan Hernandez); Gianna's Wild Cat (Jessica Pyfer); Irish Wahine (Abel Cedillo); It's Simple (Mario Gutierrez); Ko Olina (Edwin Maldonado); Lion's Lair (Tiago Pereira) and Madiha (Umberto Rispoli).

Friday's feature is the $200,000 Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes for 2-year-old fillies, often a stepping stone to the $300,000 Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante near the end of the meeting. Bob Baffert, a seven-time Sorrento-winning trainer, has three of the 22 nominees.

Saturday card features the $200,000 Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon and the $200,000 Best Pal. The Yellow Ribbon, at 1 1/16 miles on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course, drew a dozen nominees topped by Simon Callaghan-trained Maxim Rate, winner of the Grade I Gamely at Santa Anita in May.

The Best Pal, often an identifier of potential for the $300,000 Grade 1 Runhappy Del Mar Futurity on closing day of the meeting, has 16 nominations, six of whom have been training outside California.

The week concludes Sunday with the $150,000 Grade 3 La Jolla, the second leg of the series for 3-year-olds, and the $100,000 Graduation Stakes for California-bred 2-year-olds.

John Sadler-trained Santa Anita Derby winner Rock Your World is among 15 nominations for the La Jolla, a return to turf racing for the son of Candy Ride after unsuccessful Triple Crown trail runs in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes.

Fourteen were nominated to the Graduation, among them Luis Mendez-trained Big City Lights, a winner of two starts by a combined 19 ¾ lengths.

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Brandothebartender First In California Dreamin’, Superstition Best In Daisycutter

The hard-knocking veteran Brandothebartender set 'em up and knocked 'em down late Sunday in capturing the $152,000 California Dreamin' Stakes by a half-length at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

The 8-year-old gelding by Tribal Rule made the 46th start of his career a winner and took down the top share of $85,500 from the purse for California-breds. He now has total winnings of $772,864 after six seasons at the racetrack and a performance record that reads 46-9-7-15.

Umberto Rispoli was aboard the winner, the 12th time he's ridden him in a race. The bay veteran is trained by Craig Dollase, who got his owners to invest $40,000 in claiming him three years ago at Del Mar. The ownership group consists of Flawless Racing of Jerry Weseloh and Brian Flanagan, both of San Diego, and Michael Jarvis of Manhattan Beach, CA.

Finishing second in the mile and one-sixteenth on the turf was Barber or Wachtel Stable's Indian Peak and running third was Messineo or Sands' North County Guy.

Brandothebartender ran the distance in 1:42.55, and returned $11.40, $5.60, and $3.60 across the board. Indian Peak paid off at $6.40 and $4.20 and North County Guy paid $3.80 to show.

UMBERTO RISPOLI (Brandothebartender, winner) – “I love this horse. I know him better than my son (the rider has ridden him in 12 races). It's unbelievable. He's such a cool horse to ride. You can do anything with him – sprint, long, grass, in front, come from the back. He does it all. You just ask him and he does it. Somehow I knew Flavien (rider Flavien Prat on Indian Peak) was going to make that early lead (he went to the lead on the far turn), so I said 'I'm following him.' Then my horse did his thing. So much fun to win on him for his wonderful ownership group and to win here at Del Mar. It's all the best.”

CRAIG DOLLASE (Brandothebartender, winner) – “The owners are just a great bunch of people; we were so lucky to get this horse two years ago off the claim (for $40,000) and he has been a gem. He's such a fighter in the lane and he did it again. He's eight (years old) and he doesn't know it.”

FRACTIONS: :23.83 :48.78 1:13.85 1:36.77 1:42.55

The stakes win was the first of the meet for rider Rispoli and his first in the California Dreamin'. He now has nine stakes wins at Del Mar.

The stakes win was the first of the meet for trainer Dollase, but his second in the California Dreamin' (Rock Me Baby, 2014). He now has 12 stakes wins at Del Mar.

The winning owners are Flawless Racing (Jerry Weseloh of San Diego), Brian Flanagan of San Diego, and Michael Jarvis of Manhattan Beach, Calif.

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Earlier on the card, the 4-year-old filly Superstition won as the race favorite in the $90,380 Daisycutter Handicap, running five furlongs on turf in :56.89 and paying $6 to win. The daughter of Ghostzapper is owned by Perry or Ramona Bass and is trained by Hall of Fame conditioner Richard Mandella. She was handled by Del Mar's leading rider, Flavien Prat, who was scoring his third win on the afternoon.

The track's Pick Six bet was not hit again Sunday meaning there will be a carryover of $328,081 into Thursday's return to racing. First post will be 2 p.m.

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TVG Expands Collaboration With Jockeys

Officials at TVG have announced that members of the Del Mar riding colony will collaborate with the network to enhance its daily coverage of horse racing.

Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, who has appeared in commercial endorsements for TVG in the past, will be joined by his colleagues Umberto Rispoli, Flavien Prat and Jessica Pyfer in contributing to broadcasts, social media content and overall online presence.

In addition to periodically wearing cameras on their helmets during races, all the jockeys will make appearances as special guests on the network when their riding schedules allow to provide previews and analysis of upcoming races. All will also contribute to news.tvg.com.

“We are so excited to welcome some of the brightest stars in the sport to the TVG team,” said Kevin Grigsby, Executive Producer and Senior Vice President of Television. “These riders will further enhance the fan experience through their unique perspectives and experiences both in and out of the saddle.”

In addition to Smith, Prat, Rispoli and Pyfer, TVG may expand its content collaboration with other riders in California and other major racing markets, Grigsby indicated.

“I am excited for the chance to work with TVG as my riding schedule allows,” said Smith. “TVG is part of the fabric of our sport, the network has always been supportive of the riders, and I'm looking forward to being able to further connect with the fans.”

TVG's Del Mar coverage this summer will also include Jockey Cams worn by Rispoli, Prat and Pyfer.

TVG has been a longstanding supporter of the Jockeys Guild PDJF and will again partner with the organization for the charity telethon later in the year.

The post TVG Expands Collaboration With Jockeys appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Fi Fi Pharoah Makes Last-To-First Move En Route To Melair Victory

Unexpectedly last early, Terry Lovingier's homebred Fi Fi Pharoah battled through the lane with Eddie's New Dream to win by a half length in Saturday's $150,000 Melair Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Trained by Walther Solis and ridden by Umberto Rispoli, Fi Fi Pharoah, a 3-year-old daughter of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, got 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.41.

Breaking from the number three post position, Fi Fi Pharoah, who had pressed the pace en route to a one-length maiden score going a flat mile on May 15, found herself last in a field of eight, about 10 lengths off of dueling leaders Mucha Woman and Omg It's Jessica around the clubhouse turn.

Next to last by a similar margin and on the move with three furlongs to run, Fi Fi Pharoah wheeled four-deep turning for home as a hot early pace took its toll on the front-runners.

With Eddie's New Dream and Mario Gutierrez taking the lead at the top of the lane, Fi Fi Pharoah joined the battled with a furlong to run and prevailed in a game effort.

“Last time, it worked for her with Rispoli,” said Solis in reference to the maiden score on May 15. “I didn't think we would get beat this time. She just ran from the three eighths, she knows when she has to speed up. When she got in front, she started waiting for everybody. She's a classy filly. I knew the filly was coming in 100 percent. I told Terry, 'We got the filly.'”

Off as the 2-1 favorite in a field of California-bred or sired three-year-old fillies, Fi Fi Pharoah paid $6.00, $3.60 and $2.60.

Co-owned by Lovingier, Tom Beckerle and Amanda Navarro, Fi Fi Pharoah, who is out of the Ghostzapper mare My Fiona, notched her first stakes winin the Melair and improved her overall mark to 5-2-1-1. With the winner's share of $90,000, she increased her earnings to $178,560.

“She's so lazy in the mornings, she won't give you anything until she reaches the quarter pole and takes off, so that's what I was expecting for the race,” said Rispoli. “I knew the pace was on, so I stayed inside because she doesn't mind staying back until I find a nice gap. I was following Mario (Gutierrez, aboard Eddie's New Dream) until I had a chance to go into the clear.”

Eddie's New Dream who finished 2 ½ lengths clear of I'm So Anna, was off at 7-2 and paid $4.00 and $2.80.

Ridden by Flavien Prat, I'm So Anna was the second choice at 5-2 and paid $2.40 while finishing 6 ¼ lengths in front of Pawnee.

Fractions on the race were 23.49, 47.47, 1:12.93 and 1:39.54.

The Melair is part of the lucrative Golden State Series. Sponsored by the CTBA, the Golden State Series is for eligible California-bred or sired horses.

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