Santa Anita: Frequent flyer Rispoli pilots win in Señorita

Sunday morning jockey Umberto Rispoli was at Churchill Downs, where he worked Kentucky Derby favorite Journalism.

Sunday afternoon Rispoli was back at Santa Anita, where he promptly scored with Jungle Peace in the Grade 3, $100,000 Señorita Stakes.

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Trained by Phil D’Amato, Jungle Peace (7-2) made her stakes debut in the Señorita, which is for 3-year-old fillies sprinting about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course. She would lead at every point of call to remain unbeaten in three U.S. starts.

Bred in Ireland, where she was winless in two starts as a 2-year-old, Jungle Peace outfooted 4-5 favorite Cloe for the lead and set fractions of 21.83, 44.26 and 1:07.33 for six furlongs. Cloe by then had started to weaken, but a new threat emerged from rallying Amorita (9-2). Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Amorita had been last of seven descending the hill. She steadily cut into Jungle Peace’s lead in the stretch, but the late charge was a head short at the wire. Cloe would finish another 1 1/4 lengths back in third with Velocity (7-1) rounding out the superfecta.

Jungle Peace’s winning time was 1:13.83.

“This filly was working well,” said Rispoli, 36, a native of Italy. “I was really pleased with her works, and her first time down the hill, she acted like a professional. Thankful we got it.”

By Bungle Inthejungle, Jungle Peace broke her maiden in her U.S. debut sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs on Santa Anita’s flat turf course Feb. 15. She came right back to clear her first-level allowance condition going six furlongs on turf March 9 at Santa Anita.

Jungle Peace is campaigned domestically by CYBT, McLean Racing Stables, Jerry McClanahan, Michael Nentwig and Jeremy Peskoff.

“She doesn’t have the best pedigree in the world, but she tries hard,” Nentwig said. “We will take a good mare that tries hard over one with a good (pedigree) page any day. We are going to try to stretch her out to a mile before the end of the meet. We are going to try that and hopefully a little later 3-year-old races at Del Mar.”

As for Rispoli, Jungle Peace’s victory punctuated a whirlwind weekend. Journalism originally was scheduled to work on Saturday morning, when Rispoli in the early morning flew to Kentucky to ride the colt with the plan he would return to ride Saturday’s card at Santa Anita. That’s when things went sideways.

Due to a wet racetrack at Churchill Downs on Saturday, trainer Michael McCarthy postponed Journalism’s work until Sunday. Rispoli immediately went back to the Louisville, Ky., airport and flew to Atlanta, where he was scheduled to catch a connecting flight. His first flight to Los Angeles was canceled, and then his second flight was delayed. Knowing he wouldn’t make it back in time for Santa Anita’s races, he flew back to Louisville, where he stayed overnight and then worked Journalism on Sunday morning.

“I wish I was here yesterday, I apologize to all the trainers and owners,” Rispoli said from the Santa Anita winner’s circle. “I was stuck five hours in Atlanta. It wasn’t fun at all. I’m glad I made it back, and we can enjoy this winner.”

Jungle Peace paid $9.60, $4.40 and $2.80. Amorita, trained by Richard Mandella, returned $4.80 and $3.80. Cloe, who was shipped in from Florida for trainer José D’Angelo and was ridden by Luis Sáez, paid $2.40.