By Alan Carasso
Umberto Rispoli was off to a hot start in his first visit to Del Mar, with seven trips to the winner's circle from his first 21 rides, and he'll look for his third black-type success at the meet in Saturday's GII San Clemente S.
The Italian has the call atop Croughavouke (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) for Jeff Mullins in the one-mile prep for the GI Del Mar Oaks and the filly has run well in a pair of appearances at the seaside oval. Runner-up in last year's Juvenile Fillies Turf S. in September, the bay was second to Laura's Light (Constitution) in the Blue Norther S. at Santa Anita and was most recently a rallying third, beaten a half-length, to the same reopposing rival in a strangely run GIII Honeymoon S. in Arcadia May 30.
Laura's Light has three wins and a second in four turf starts, having won the GIII Sweet Life S. over 5 1/2 furlongs in February ahead of the Honeymoon, in which she laid second to loose-on-the-lead Parkour (Carpe Diem), got first run on that spent rival and held on by a neck, with a similar margin back to Croughavouke in third.
Guitty (Fr) (Dunkerque {Fr}), fifth in the Blue Norther and sixth to Warren's Showtime (Clubhouse Ride) in the China Doll, took off from last in the Honeymoon with a huge middle move and was checked at midstretch before finishing sixth, beaten 4 1/2 lengths. She's back down in trip for this and may get a contested pace up ahead of her.
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