Jockey Umberto Rispoli has an affinity for turf races at Del Mar. Specifically, turf stakes races. His two turf stakes wins added to his grass stakes victories this meet to earn Jockey of the Week honors for August 15 through August 21. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, honors jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 1050 active, retired and permanently disabled jockeys in the United States.
Riding for East Coast trainer Graham Motion on Friday, Rispoli was aboard Sister Otoole in the CTT and TOC Stakes for fillies and mares three-years-old and up. The pair trailed early in the 1-3/8 mile grass race but on the backside, Rispoli sent her outside advancing to third and away from compromising traffic trouble. Sister Otoole prevailed by a half-length over Scarabea in 2:15.27.
Rispoli continued his winning ways on the turf on Sunday for trainer Craig Lewis aboard Warrens Candy Girl in the Solana Beach. Breaking from post position two, Warrens Candy Girl was fourth on the backstretch following the leaders around the turn then moving to the outside entering the stretch. While race favorite Eddie's New Dream took the lead in early stretch, Warrens Candy Girl determinedly overtook the leader in the final yards to post a head victory in 1:35.23 for the one mile turf test.
“When you travel in hand with the horse your hands get itchy; you want to let your horse run and so once I gonna let her run, I wish that she is going to respond,” said Rispoli. “She did it. Just before the chute I knew I was going to get her (Eddie's New Dream).”
The CTT and TOC and Solana Beach were Rispoli's fourth and fifth turf stakes wins of the Del Mar meet after taking the Oceanside, the G2 San Clemente and the G2 Yellow Ribbon.
Rispoli, a native of Naples, Italy, rode full time in the United States beginning in 2020 at Santa Anita and Los Alamitos after riding in Hong Kong, France, Japan and Italy. He moved his tack to Kentucky this past spring but returned to southern California towards the end of the spring/summer meet at Santa Anita. He is currently in second place in the Del Mar standings with 19 wins and more than $1.6 million in purses.
Other contenders for Jockey of the Week were David Cabrera who returned to riding after a serious on-track accident to win the Governor's Cup at Remington Park, Tyler Gaffalione who travelled to Del Mar to win the G1 Del Mar Oaks, Jose L. Ortiz with two stakes wins at Saratoga, and Irad Ortiz, Jr. who won three stakes races including the G1 Alabama.
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