DEL MARDEL MAR—Turf specialist Umberto Rispoli rallied Closing Remarks between horses in the stretch to win the $250,000, Grade II Yellow Ribbon Handicap for trainer Carla Gaines and owner John Harris — giving Del Mar two feel-good stories on Saturday.
Earlier, trainer O.J. Jauregui scored his first Del Mar stakes victory with Dreamfyre under a wire-to-wire ride by Hector Berrios in the Grade III Sorrento Stakes — a six-furlong dash for 2-year-old fillies.
Although Closing Remarks was the favorite in the field of seven older fillies and mares in the 1 1/16-mile Yellow Ribbon, the victory was special for Gaines and Harris.
“John was there with horses for me when I began training,” said Gaines of the owner of Harris Farms. “That makes this special.”
The win was the 129th by a Gaines-trained horse at Del Mar and the second of the summer meeting, both with Rispoli riding.
“Umberto is the best,” said Gaines. “If there’s any space, he is going to get through and that’s what he did today. I just left it up to him.”
“It was a matter of finding a way to go at the top of the stretch,” said Rispoli, who won the 2022 Yellow Ribbon on Going Global. “I was trying to get her in a nice position.”
Ganadora, with Juan Hernandez up, broke first and led into the stretch until she was passed by both Closing Remarks and runnerup Spirit and Glory (Berrios).
Fresh from winning the $75,000 Everett Nevin Stakes at Pleasanton in her July 9 debut on the Northern California fair circuit, the daughter of Flameaway easily defeated near 9-5 co-favorites Benedetta and Dua in the Grade III, six-furlong sprint for 2-year-old fillies.
“She’s fast, I knew it,” Jauregui said after Berrios brought Dreamfyre home 3 ½ lengths ahead of Benedetta with Dua another 7 ¼ lengths back in third. “That’s why I brought her here for this meeting. She’s been doing everything right and I expected her to run a very honest race.”
“Oh, she’s fast, really fast,” said Berrios. “I looked at the video of her first start. There’s only one way to go with her … that’s go fast right out of the gate. She did everything right. She was good at the gate, good with the break. She’s very professional.”
Although Dreamfyre led throughout, Benedetta (Victor Espinoza) and Dua (Juan Hernandez) were gaining coming out of the turn. But Dreamfyre ($9.60) pulled away, giving Jauregui his first-ever stakes win at Del Mar.
Jockey leader Juan Hernandez won four races Saturday, including two for trainer Bob Baffert. But the Hernandez-Baffert tandem finished third in both the stakes races – with Dua in the Sorrento Stakes and Ganadora in the Yellow Ribbon. Berrios and Rispoli each had two wins, including a stakes.
Prat returns
Former Del Mar jockey champion Flavien Prat will return to the seaside oval Sunday from Saratoga to ride the Bob Baffert-trained Prince of Monaco in the featured Grade III Best Pal Stakes as well as six other races for trainer Mark Glatt. Prat plans to return to Del Mar later in the meet for some major stakes races.
Baffert will have the two favorites in the five-horse Best Pal, a six-furlong sprint worth $200,000 and a stepping stone to the Grade I Del Mar Futurity on closing day.
Juan Hernandez will be aboard Muth, the morning-line 3-5 favorite in the Best Pal. Prince of Monaco is listed at 9-5. Hernandez recently rode both Muth and Prince of Monaco to victory in their debuts. Muth is the son of Good Magic. Prince of Monaco is the son of Speightstown.
Muth was a $2 million purchase by Saudi Arabia’s Amr F. Zedan at the Ocala Breeders’ Sale in Florida last March.
Baffert said he “hates to run both together” Sunday.
The main threat to the Baffert pair is expected to be Tranche, who won his most recent of three starts. Edwin Maldonado will be up.
Notable
• Jockey Kent Desormeaux, who won Friday’s Graduation Stakes feature aboard Lord Prancealot while appealing a three-day suspension, has drawn a one-day suspension from that ride for a riding crop violation of Lord Prancealot. Desormeaux will miss Aug. 19, and riding crop violations can’t be appealed.
• Del Mar track announcer Trevor Denman has been named the 2023 recipient of the Laffit Pincay Jr. Award, which annually recognizes someone who serves the sport with integrity, extraordinary dedication, determination and distinction. Denman, who has called races at Del Mar since 1984, will be honored on Aug. 19.
• Jockey Fernando Toro, who was inducted into the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame on Aug. 4, will be presented his Hall of Fame plaque and jacket on Aug. 19 at Del Mar. Toro, 82, a resident of Carlsbad, was unable to attend the formal induction ceremonies at Saratoga.
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