Ag Bullet cruising home to second consecutive stakes win under Rispoli (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
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Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif.— Favorite Ag Bullet made it two stakes wins in a row for trainer Richard Baltas with a comfortable victory in Saturday’s GIII, $100,000 Monrovia Stakes for older fillies and mares on the hillside turf course.
Ag Bullet (3-2) and jockey Umberto Rispoli dueled on the front end with 2-1 second choice Gracelund Gray through fractions of 21.78 and 43.76 for the opening half mile. Ag Bullet edged to the lead when passing the dirt crossing into the stretch and easily held off the late challengers to score by 1 1/2 lengths.
“She is a goofy filly. You need to be careful going up to the gate, she can do anything. She can raise up, throw you down, but she has so much quality and potential that she doesn’t know. It was a good trip Richard (Baltas) does an amazing job. I am so glad that he won a Grade III today. I’m blessed with all the connections, Calvin and Joey they have supported me for a long time,” said Rispoli.
“How beautiful it is! (Frankie Dettori) is my idol. I hope I can win the Derby, but I would be happy for him, he is unbelievable,” said Rispoli about Dettori’s six-win day.
Ag Bullet won in a final time of 1:12.67 for about 6 ½ furlongs on firm turf. Miss Lizzy (13-1) under Hector Berrios rallied for second with Getthemoney (3-1) and Frankie Dettori another head back in third.
Ag Bullet improved her record to 4-0-0 in six starts for owners Calvin Nguyen and Joey C. Tran. As a 3-year-old last year, when trained by George Papaprodromou, Ag Bullet earned her first stakes win in the one-mile Lady of Shamrock at Santa Anita in February. She made just one more start a month later at Turfway Park before being sidelined for the remainder of the year.
“Rispoli knows Ag Bullet and had a great handle on the horse from start to finish. Once they broke away, they took it home effortlessly in the final stretch. Rispoli held her pace as long as possible, and that was the key. I hope to have her running a mile soon,” commented Baltas.
Ag Bullet returned Feb. 25 with Baltas as trainer in in the restricted Wishing Well Stakes on the hillside turf course. She promptly scored by 1 ½ lengths at 3-1 under Rispoli.
Ag Bullet paid $5.00, $3.20 and $2.40. Miss Lizzy, trained by Doug O’Neill, returned $8.20 and $4.00. Getthemoney, trained by Brian Koriner, paid $3.40 to show.
By Twirling Candy, Ag Bullet was purchased for $200,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September yearling sale. With the $60,000 winner’s share of the purse, she pushed her earnings to $230,300.
