ARCADIA, Calif.—Under patient handling from Umberto Rispoli, Irish-bred Burgoo Alley rallied off the turn for home to overhaul favored Spanish Loveaffair late and take Saturday’s Grade III, $100,000 Autumn Miss Stakes at Santa Anita by a half-length. Trained by Phil D’Amato, Burgoo Alley got a flat mile on turf in 1:34.37.
Fifth at the rail, about three lengths off the lead around the first turn, Burgoo Alley held her position between horses while a joint third, about 1 ½ lengths off the lead with a quarter mile to run. From there, Rispoli called up Burgoo Alley and she demonstrated a nice turn of foot to post her first stakes win.
“We got a very polished ride from Umberto,” said D’Amato. “He rode with confidence, and he saw the pace was fast enough. He saved ground, split ’em turning for home at the right time, and we just got up.”
Most recently a troubled third going 6 ½ furlongs down Santa Anita’s hillside turf course in the ungraded Unzip Me Stakes Oct. 3, Burgoo Alley was off at 5-1 in a field of eight sophomore fillies and paid $12.60, $5.60 and $3.80.
“I think the distance is the key for her,” said Rispoli, who guided Burgoo Alley to a one-mile turf allowance win two starts back on Aug. 14 at Del Mar. “…I knew today that I could end up in a nice spot. She was sharp from the gate, giving me the chance to be where I wanted to be, just behind the favorite (Spanish Loveaffair) and I got a very nice trip.”
Owned by CYBT, Michael Nentwig and Ray Pagano, Burgoo Alley, who was winless in three starts in Ireland, picked up her third win in six stateside starts and improved her overall record to 9-3-2-1. With the winner’s share of $60,000, she increased her earnings to $170,330.
Spanish Loveaffair, who was coming off the best race of her career in winning Belmont Park’s ungraded Pebbles Stakes on Sept. 19, was making her Southern California debut for Mark Casse and got crushed in the late wagering, going off as the 5-2 favorite.
Second to the top of the lane just off of Zero Tolerance, Spanish Loveaffair made the lead a furlong out but was second best on the day, finishing one length in front of Javanica. Ridden by Abel Cedillo, Spanish Loveaffair paid $4.20 and $3.20.
Ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, Javanica rallied from fourth at the quarter pole to outrun Zero Tolerance by a half-length. Off at 14-1, Javanica paid $5.60 to show.
Fractions on the race were 23.00, 47.57, 1:11.16 and 1:22.86.
Autumn Miss Replay
Burgoo Alley wins The Autumn Miss Stakes on Saturday, October 30th, 2021 at Santa Anita Park.
First post time for a 10-race card on Sunday is at 12:30 p.m. Sunday is also closing day and if there is no single ticket winner in Saturday’s 20 cent Rainbow Pick Six Jackpot, it is expected Sunday’s total Rainbow Six pool could approach $5 million.
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Del Mar Press Release
Photo: Burgoo Alley (Benoit Photos)
