Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Rispoli, Rock Your World head to Kentucky on business
Last November, a few days before the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland, jockey Umberto Rispoli drove to Louisville, Ky., to get a first-hand look of racing at Churchill Downs. Rispoli did not have a mount, but wanted to visit the historic track.
In a few weeks, Rispoli will return to Churchill Downs with a much greater purpose. On May 1, he is scheduled to ride the undefeated Rock Your World in the Kentucky Derby and the top turf horse Smooth Like Strait in the Grade 1 Old Forester Turf Classic.
Rock Your World confirmed his status as a Kentucky Derby contender with a front-running win under Rispoli in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby last Saturday. For Rispoli, who relocated from Hong Kong to California in December 2019, the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby was his richest win in the United States and the third-richest win of his career behind Grade 1 or Group 1 wins in Japan in 2011 and Hong Kong in 2012.
Rispoli has ridden Rock Your World in the colt’s three races, including a successful stakes debut in the $100,000 Pasadena Stakes at a mile on turf on Feb. 27. Rock Your World stalked the pace in the Pasadena. In the Santa Anita Derby, Rock Your World pulled clear through the stretch to win by 4 1/4 lengths for owners Pete and Kosta Hronis and trainer John Sadler.
“I watched the race probably 100 times,” Rispoli said. “Not 100, but a bunch of times. I didn’t see only my horse. I wanted to see how the others went into the trip and their racing. It was one of the best feelings I’ve had in my career, winning such an important race here in America.
“We know that if they win the Santa Anita Derby, they are huge prospects for the Kentucky Derby.”
The win coincided with the return of racing fans to Santa Anita over the weekend after Los Angeles County officials allowed limited crowds to return to outdoor sporting events. Fans had not attended racing at Santa Anita since early March of 2020 because of the pandemic. The recharged atmosphere was a welcome addition, Rispoli said.
“It was so good when I came back on the horse,” he said. “It was a good feeling hearing the people cheering. We missed that feeling for a year. We need that back.”
Rispoli, 32, was third in the standings at Santa Anita through Sunday with 42 wins, 40 behind leader Flavien Prat and nine behind second-place Juan Hernandez. Those positions will not change this weekend. Rispoli will be at Keeneland, where his list of rides includes Igloo in Friday’s Limestone Turf Sprint and Maxim Rate in Saturday’s Grade 1 Jenny Wiley Stakes.
“It will be good to freshen the mind and go to a different track and deal with different types of jockeys,” Rispoli said.
Smooth Like Strait was considered for Friday’s Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile at Keeneland, but will start at Churchill Downs instead, trainer Michael McCarthy said in a text message on Wednesday.
Last June, Rispoli finished last of seven in the Santa Anita Derby on the outsider Azul Coast.
“This year I was on one of the favorites,” he said. “How things can change in a year. All the hard work gives you an opportunity to jump on the good horses. Sometimes you need a chance.”
Roman Centurian gets time
Roman Centurian, a late scratch from the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, was not entered in Saturday’s Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park after trainer Simon Callaghan said he was unsatisfied with the colt’s progress earlier this week.
Callaghan expressed similar thoughts prior to the Santa Anita Derby.
“We’re going to give him a little time,” Callaghan said on Wednesday. “He didn’t come around like we hoped. We’ll do some further diagnosis. It isn’t anything major. We weren’t happy with him.”
Roman Centurian was second in the Grade 3 Robert Lewis Stakes on Jan. 30 and fourth in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes on March 6 in two prep races for the Santa Anita Derby.
Idol staying home for Gold Cup
Idol, the winner of the Santa Anita Handicap on March 6, will not be sent to Oaklawn Park as planned for next Saturday’s Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap, trainer Richard Baltas said.
Idol will run in the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup at Santa Anita on May 31.
“I’ll stay here,” Baltas said. “I don’t want to push him. It’s a long year and I want to space his races out.”
Idol has had three starts at the Santa Anita winterspring meeting, beginning with a second in the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on Dec. 26. He was third in the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on Jan. 30.
Owned by Calvin Nguyen, Idol, 4, has won 3 of 6 starts and earned $416,464.
Idol would win a $1 million bonus if he can sweep the Hollywood Gold Cup and Pacific Classic at Del Mar in August. The Big Cap was the first race in the three-race series.