By Alan Carasso
Prohibitively favored at 3-10 in Saturday's GII Yellow Ribbon Handicap at Del Mar, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Anisette (GB) (Awtaad {Ire}) gave her backers some nervous moments at the top of the lane, but she exuded class through the final furlong and half to remain perfect in two starts as a 4-year-old while winning for the seventh time from 11 starts overall.
Void of early speed and settled last but one past the stands for the first time, Anisette switched off nicely under a long hold from Umberto Rispoli as longshot Ever Smart (Broken Vow) went a good gallop on the front end. Eased out into the clear with about three furlongs to travel, she began to take closer order rounding the turn and for a stride or two, it appeared that Rispoli was going to circumnavigate the field. Instead he went for an inside run and while it took a stride or two for Anisette to hit top gear, she came with a stinging run one off the inside with a furlong to race and kicked home smartly for the victory. The judge could not split Uncorked (Aus) (Pierro {Aus}) and Fuente Ovejuna (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) for second.
“They went the second quarter in :23 and they didn't back up but I felt she was in a good spot,” winning trainer Leonard Powell said. “When they made the turn, Umberto [Rispoli] had to choose outside or inside and remember, she had to give six, eight, 10 pounds to the field so weight did matter, but once she leveled off, she really went on and at the sixteenth pole I knew she would get there.”
A Wolverhampton novice winner in three European starts for Kevin Philippart de Foy, Anisette won her first three outings stateside, including a convincing 2 3/4-length success in the GI Del Mar Oaks last August. Runner-up in the GII Rodeo Drive Stakes and in the age-restricted GIII Autumn Miss Stakes, she closed the year with a smooth success in the GI American Oaks and picked up where she left off with a half-length tally in the GI Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita May 27.
Pedigree Notes:
Anisette is one of five graded winners for her sire and one of two American stakes winners, joining 2020 Zuma Beach S. hero Ebeko (Ire).
Anisette is one of two winners from four to race from a placed half-sister to Sultanina (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), who caused a mild 11-2 upset in the G1 Nassau S. at Goodwood back in 2014. This is also the female family of G3 Hampton Court Stakes winner Mohaafeth (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).
Tutti Frutti is also represented by the 2-year-old filly Glamorous Marlene (Ire) (Make Believe {Ire}), a 65,000gns purchase out of Book 3 at Tattersalls October last fall, and a yearling colt by Magna Grecia (Ire). Subsequent to Anisette's Del Mar Oaks win, Tutti Frutti was offered in foal to the latter stallion at last year's Tattersalls December Mares sale, but was bought back on a bid of 390,000gns. She produced a filly this season.
Saturday, Del Mar
YELLOW RIBBON H.-GII, $200,500, Del Mar, 8-10, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16mT, 1:40.94, fm.
1–ANISETTE (GB), 126, f, 4, by Awtaad (Ire)
1st Dam: Tutti Frutti (GB), by Teofilo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Soft Centre (GB), by Zafonic
3rd Dam: Foodbroker Fancy (Ire), by Halling
(26,000gns Ylg '21 TATSOM). O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners; B-Morera Partnership (GB); T-Leonard Powell; J-Umberto Rispoli. $120,000. Lifetime Record: MGISW, 11-7-3-0, $906,871. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
(DH) 2–Uncorked (Aus), 120, m, 5, Pierro (Aus)–Piaf (Nz), by Iffraaj (GB). (130,000 Ylg '21 MMGYRL). O-The Elkstone Group, LLC (Stuart Grant); B-Mr. A Galbraith (AUS); T-Philip D'Amato. $32,000.
(DH) 2–Fuente Ovejuna (GB), 118, m, 5, Lope de Vega (Ire)–Lipstick Rose (Ire), by Dream Ahead. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-Farfellow Farm, Ltd.; B-Stone Roses Bloodstock (GB); T-Brendan P. Walsh. $32,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, NK, NK. Odds: 0.30, 5.20, 15.60.
Also Ran: Lucky Girl (Ire), Bellabel (Ire), Ever Smart.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
#2 ANISETTE (GB) wins the $200,000 🎗️ G2 Yellow Ribbon Stakes at Del Mar with a confident @umbyrispoli in the saddle. Congratulations to @Leopowellracing and owners @EclipseTBP. pic.twitter.com/4vtk2SiLhi
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) August 11, 2024
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