Tag: Umberto Rispoli

The unique-to-America Kentucky Downs turf course offers the biggest pari-mutuel payouts of any US track. It begins its short, six-day season Sunday. (Image: Coady Photography)

Kentucky Downs: Short Meet, Small Track, Big Pari-Mutuel Payouts

Kentucky Downs, one of the biggest sleeper tracks in the country from a betting standpoint begins, its season on Sunday. With a six-day card, sleeping on the sleeper track means you’ll likely miss something from a wagering standpoint. Kentucky Downs offers the best pari-mutuel payouts of any track in the […]

Smooth Like Strait is the 4/5 favorite for the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile on Santa Anita Park's Memorial Day card. (Image: Benoit Photo)

Say the Word About the Shoemaker Mile’s Consistent Contenders

If it’s possible to ride into a Grade 1 race in form – riding into that race with two losses – Smooth Like Strait comes into this year’s Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita Park in perfect form. Yes, Smooth Like Strait finished third in his last start, the […]

If Flavien Prat celebrates after the Belmont, he'll do it on a different horse than Preakness winner Rombauer. Prat takes the reins of Hot Charlie for the Belmont Stakes. He rode Hot Rod Charlie in the Kentucky Derby. (Image: Patrick Smith/Getty)

Belmont Musical Jockeys: Prat Trades Rombauer for Hot Rod Charlie

Trainer Doug O’Neill, who proved his nimbleness by quickly securing Flavien Prat’s jockey services for the Kentucky Derby, proved them once again for the Belmont Stakes. He said Prat will ride the Derby’s third-place runner in the June 5 Belmont Stakes. That, of course, means Michael McCarthy needs to find […]

Joe Bravo and King for a Day beat Maximum Security to win the 2019 Pegasus Cup. A Monmouth Park fixture and 12-time riding champion, Bravo may not ride at the New Jersey track this year because of a new restriction on riding crop usage. (Image: Taylor Ejdys/Equi-Photo)

New Jersey Jockeys Whipped Into Mutiny Over New Crop Rule

A jockeys’ mutiny for Monmouth Park’s upcoming racing season is brewing after the Superior Court of New Jersey declined a request to stay the New Jersey Racing Commission’s riding crop ban. Three jockeys, including 13-time Monmouth riding champion Joe Bravo, told Thoroughbred Daily News they will not ride at Monmouth […]

Jockey Umberto Rispoli had reason to celebrate his 4 1/2-length Santa Anita Derby victory. But Rispoli won't ride the undefeated Candy Ride colt in the Kentucky Derby -- Joel Rosario will. (Image: Benoit Photo)

Derby Musical Jockeys: Rosario Replaces Rispoli on Rock Your World

In a case that’s flipping what-have-you-done-for-me-lately on its ear, jockey Joel Rosario will replace Umberto Rispoli aboard Rock Your World for next week’s Kentucky Derby. Rock Your World’s trainer, John Sadler, discussed the decision on the Thoroughbred Los Angeles radio show on Sunday morning. He took full responsibility for the […]

Rock Your World rocked Santa Anita Park's marquee race Saturday, winning the Santa Anita Derby by more than four lengths. Jockey Umberto Rispoli earned his first Grade 1 victory along the way. (Image: Benoit Photography)

On Record Day, Rock Your World Rocks, Rolls His Way to Kentucky Derby

Rock Your World rocked the Santa Anita Derby, which rocked bettors into producing Santa Anita Park’s largest all-sources pari-mutuel Santa Anita Derby handle in 14 years. On a day where fans returned to the Southern California track for the first time in more than a year, the 8,246 attendees on […]

Umberto Rispoli is one of the top riders in North America. The Italian jockey won't ride in the Saudi Cup due to changing COVID-19 testing protocols. (Image: Hong Kong Jockey Club)

New COVID Protocols Scratch Saudi Cup Jockeys Rispoli, Velazquez

Star jockeys Umberto Rispoli and John Velazquez lost their mounts for Saturday’s $20 million Saudi Cup after Saudi race organizers abruptly changed their COVID-19 testing protocols. That takes Rispoli off Max Player and removes Velazquez from Tacitus. Rispoli had three mounts on the Saudi Cup card, including Cowan in the […]

United owns six victories in 15 career starts, including the Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes. He is the expected favorite in Sunday's John Henry Turf Championship at Santa Anita. (Image: Benoit Photo)

United Seeks Redemption in John Henry Turf Championship

The John Henry Turf Championship is the perfect race at the perfect place for United — a meeting of opportunity and talent in a setting the standout turf runner should devour. And United has devoured Santa Anita Park. Three of his six career victories came at Santa Anita. Missing on […]

Del Mar was forced to close this weekend after 15 jockeys tested positive for COVID-19. The track is revamping its jockeys' room and instituting a travel ban on riders. (Image: Del Mar Thoroughbred Club)

Del Mar ‘Takes Weekend Off’ After 15 Riders Test Positive for COVID-19

Del Mar abruptly canceled its weekend racing card for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday after mass testing revealed 15 jockeys are positive for COVID-19. Del Mar Thoroughbred Club CEO Joe Harper said in a statement that in the wake of numerous Southern California-based jockeys testing positive out of the Los Alamitos […]