Maxim Rate © Benoit Photo
Del Mar newcomer Umberto Rispoli continued his mastery of the local turf course with two more wins on it today, including a tally in the featured CTT & TOC Stakes aboard Slam Dunk Racing or Branham’s Maxim Rate.
The Italian reinsman, who has ridden virtually all over the world, showed he continues to be at home of the Jimmy Durante Turf Course when he positioned his 4-year-old filly in a perfect spot during the running of the 11-furlong test for older fillies and mares, then powered her home through the lane for a neck victory.
It was part of a three-win afternoon for the 31-year-old rider and put him back on the lead in the local riders’ race with 28 firsts after 16 days at the session. He’s one win ahead of three-time former champion Flavien Prat.
Finishing second in the 23rd edition of the race (named for the California Thoroughbred Trainers group and the Thoroughbred Owners of California association) was Hronis Racing’s Quick, while third was G. Watts Humphrey, Jr.’s Over Thinking.
In the past two weeks, Rispoli has accepted 26 mounts in turf races at the place “where the turf meets the surf.” He’s come home a winner in 10 of those events, a 38% strike rate. He’s also now has won four stakes at the meeting, all of them – of course – on the turf.
Maxim Rate earned $48,000 from the $82,500 purse pushing her total winnings to $222,185. The 4-year-old daughter of Exchange Rate paid $7.00, $4.40 and $3.40 across the board.
In the day’s Pick Six, a lucky and/or good gambler playing through the Oregon hub of Xpressbet entered a $216 ticket and came away a $144,969 richer as the only players with all six winners.
Racing will return to the seaside oval on Friday with a 10-race card on tap starting at 2 p.m. Saturday the track will offer its biggest day of the year with five graded stakes on the menu including the Grade I, $500,000 TVG Pacific Classic.
UMBERTO RISPOLI (Maxim Rate, winner) – “You need everything to be right. You need the horse; you need the pace; you need it all. My filly today is a good filly. When she made the lead I was very happy. I knew we’d win then. She’s a better horse than she’s shown. She a very good one.”
SIMON CALLAGHAN (Maxim Rate, winner) – “It went very well. We figured we’d be close to the pace because we didn’t see that much speed in there, and Umberto (Rispoli) rode her perfectly. He got good position and was patient. We thought she was the best filly, but we were not sure about the distance. One thing about this filly, she relaxes so well and gives herself a chance to get the distance.”
FRACTIONS: :23.25 :49.26 1:14.31 1:38.56 2:02.68 2:14.31
This was the fourth stakes win of the meet for rider Respoli, but his first in the CTT & TOC in his first season riding at Del mar.
This was the first stakes win of the meet for trainer Callaghan and his first in the CTT & TOC. He now has 12 stakes wins at Del Mar.
The winning owners are Slam Dunk Racing (Nick Cosato of Sierra Madre, CA, and Doug Branham of Paris, Ky).