Umberto Rispoli back at home on Del Mar turf course on opening day

The departed Flavien Prat won four of the past five jockey titles at Del Mar.

But there was one area where Prat had an equal. Umberto Rispoli thrived on Del Mar’s turf course. At one point during the 2020 season, Rispoli was winning 40 percent of the turf races at Del Mar, a clip that helped him place second in the final jockey standings … one win behind Prat.

Rispoli returned to his specialty Friday, opening Del Mar’s 83rd season by rallying Balnikhov along the rail of the turf course to win the 77th Oceanside Stakes by 1 1/2 lengths over the 29-1 long shot Anmer Hall.

“That was an amazing trip,” said Rispoli, a 33-year-old native of Naples, Italy. “I was all the way on the outside on the backstretch, so I said, ‘I think I’m losing too much ground here,’ and I went down inside. From there it happened.

“I love this race. In the three years I’ve ridden it, I’ve won twice (also Hit the Road in 2020) and finished second.”

Rispoli left the Southern California circuit earlier this year to ride in Kentucky, but struggled for a couple months before returning.

“Umberto fits this horse really well,” winning trainer Phil D’Amato said. “I think the key to Balnikhov is get him to settle, save ground and then come with his run. He sat a good trip and was able to use his turn of foot late to get the job done.”

Balnikhov was seventh in the field of 12 at the top of the stretch and fourth midway down the stretch. The Irish-bred paid $8.40 as the 3-1 second choice after running a mile in 1:34.85.

Favored Mackinnon, ridden by Juan Hernandez, finished fourth before a sellout crowd of 21,680.

“Fantastic Opening Day,” said Del Mar Thoroughbred Club President and COO Josh Rubinstein. “There was great energy and buzz. It felt like Del Mar was back. We had great feedback from the fans.”

Del Mar’s handle was an opening-day record $23.56 million, an 11 percent gain over 2021. The on-premises handle of $3.5 million was a 36 percent increase over last year, when the crowd was limited to 15,000. It helped that the fields for Friday’s program averaged 10.4 horses per race.

Meanwhile, a trend could already be developing at Del Mar this summer.

The track’s first three stakes races are on the turf. And aboard the morning-line favorites in all three races are Rispoli and Hernandez. The latter was the riding champion at Del Mar last fall and more recently Santa Anita — as well as the early leader this meet with three wins Friday.

Second day preview

The first graded stakes of the meeting will be Saturday’s Grade II San Clemente Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at a mile on the turf. It’s the final race on an 11-race program.

D’Amato has a third of the 12 horses entered, including slight morning line favorite Bellabel (4-1) and second choice Island of Love (5-1). Rispoli will be aboard Bellabel, Hernandez on Island of Love.

Bellabel hasn’t raced since winning her American debut in the $100,000 Blue Norther at Santa Anita in January in what was also her first race for D’Amato. Rispoli will be aboard Bellabel for the first time.

Island of Love has won three of her six career starts, but two of the wins came last year in Italy. Her last two starts were Grade III races under Hernandez — a win in the Senorita Stakes on May 7 at Santa Anita followed by a second-place finish in the Honeymoon Stakes on May 29.

In her first two starts in this country, Island of Love finished second and fourth this winter behind Lucky Girl at Santa Anita. But Lucky Girl (Joe Bravo), who is also entered in the San Clemente Stakes, has been fifth in her last two starts.

The other two D’Amato entries are Sixteen Arches and Helens Well. All four of his horses in the San Clemente were bred in Ireland.

Two races earlier is the $100,000 Osunitas Stakes at a mile on the turf for older fillies and mares. Hernandez will be on the Leonard Powell-trained Avenue de France, who is coming off a second-place finish in the $200,000 Ouija Board Distaff at Lone Star Park in Texas. Rispoli will be aboard Amy C. for D’Amato.