Anisette © Benoit Photo
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Anisette, making her second U.S. start and only her fifth overall, put in a powerful late run under Umberto Rispoli and zoomed away to a two and a half-length triumph in the Grade II San Clemente Stakes Saturday at Del Mar.
The British-bred daughter of the Irish stallion Awtaad covered the mile on grass in 1:34.84 and picked up a check for $120,000 from the gross purse of $204,500. She now has $166,871 in total earnings.
French transplant Leonard Powell trains the well-made filly, who had captured her American bow in an allowance race at Santa Anita on May 29 where she turned in a similar late move to win by three-quarters of a length in the one-mile turfer.
Finishing second in the San Clemente was Glen Hill Farm’s Ocean Club, who had a length and a quarter on Peter Redekop’s And Tell Me Nolies.
Rispoli, who was winning his third race on the afternoon, won the San Clemente last year with Bellabel.
Anisette was the race favorite at $2.10 to the dollar and returned $6.20 for the win.
Earlier on the program, Benjamin or Sally Warren’s won the $100,000 Osunitas Overnight Stakes, a mile on the turf for fillies and mares. Ramon Vazquez was aboard the 5-year-old Cal-bred as she clicked by one length for trainer Craig Lewis and returned $22.20 for a $2 ticket.
Racing resumes at Del Mar Sunday with a first post of 2 p.m.
UMBERTO RISPOLI (Anisette, winner) – “Good trip for me. I had to use her a little bit on the backside to get her into the spot where I wanted her so we could wait. Then when it came time to go wide, she was there. Terrific closing kick. And I absolutely believe the farther they go, the better she’ll be.”
LEONARD POWELL (Anisette, winner) – “I was very happy with the way the race was unfolding. There was plenty of speed and we were looking for the same kind of run as last time. She was very impressive again and a fast time, 1:34 and four. Olders earlier went 1:35.”
FRACTIONS: :22.33 :456.68 1:10.88 1:23.40 1:34.84
The stakes win was the first of the meet for both rider and trainer.
The stakes win was the 19th at Del Mar for rider Rispoli and his second in the San Clemente (He won with Bellabel last year).
The stakes win was the ninth at Del Mar for trainer Powell. It was his first in the San Clemente.
The winning owner is Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, which is headed by Aron Wellman of Rancho Santa Fe, CA.