ARCADIA, Calif. - A whirlwind weekend of travel for jockey Umberto Rispoli ended late Sunday afternoon with a winning ride aboard Jungle Peace in the Grade 3 Senorita Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on turf at Santa Anita.
Rispoli left the airport around 2 p.m., he said, hours after he worked Kentucky Derby favorite Journalism at Churchill Downs in Kentucky. The Senorita Stakes field left the paddock at 4 p.m.
Journalism’s workout had been postponed from Saturday to Sunday by trainer Michael McCarthy.
In the $101,000 Senorita, Jungle Peace ($9.60) set the pace and held off a late surge from 9-2 Amorita to prevail by a head for her third consecutive win.
Jungle Peace ran about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside course in 1:13.83.
The second choice in a field of seven, Jungle Peace set a solid pace of 21.83 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 44.26 for a half-mile, leading by a half-length over Cloe, the 9-10 favorite.
Rispoli said race tactics worked in favor of Jungle Peace when jockey Luis Saez did not urge Cloe into a speed duel.
“I knew she was fast,” Rispoli said. “She kind of settled and she crossed the dirt perfectly.”
Jungle Peace extended her advantage to 1 1/2 lengths with a furlong remaining, but was tested in the final furlong by Amorita.
“She felt that other filly coming closer,” Rispoli said.
Cloe, the winner of the Melody of Colors Stakes at five furlongs on turf for 3-year-old fillies at Gulfstream Park on March 23, held third, beaten slightly more than 1 1/4 lengths.
Velocity finished fourth, followed by Schilflied, Polythene Pam and Maximum Gold.
Jungle Peace had her first start in a stakes in the Senorita.
An Irish-bred filly by the Exceed and Excel stallion Bungle Inthejungle, Jungle Peace won a maiden race at 6 1/2 furlongs on the flat turf course in her American debut on Feb. 15 and an allowance race at six furlongs on the flat course on March 9.
Rispoli has been aboard for all three wins in California. Jungle Peace was Rispoli’s only mount on Sunday. He arrived too late to ride the first and fifth races. His mount in the ninth race was withdrawn.
Jungle Peace races for the partnership of John Rochfort, Ian McLean, Jerry McClanahan, Michael Nentwig and Jeremy Peskoff.
A winner of 3 of 5 starts with earnings of $138,906, Jungle Peace is trained by Phil D’Amato, who swept the two stakes at Santa Anita over the weekend. On Saturday, the D’Amato-trained Public Assembly won the Grade 3 Royal Heroine Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile on turf.
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