DEL MAR, Calif. – The quick mare Cordiality got her course and got her way up front and took them wire-to-wire in the 65th running of the Osunitas Stakes on the Del Mar lawn Sunday afternoon.
The California-bred daughter of Papa Clem was handled by Umberto Rispoli, who has won just about everything in sight during the opening weekend of the Del Mar summer meet. His score in the $65,000 overnight today was his seventh of the three days so far and his second stakes. The 31-year-old Italian rider – in his first summer at the seaside oval – has broken on top in the riders’ standings and let all know he’s on the scene.
“I had simple instructions – take her out early and slow it down as much as you can until the 3/8ths pole. Then go for it. I was lucky that nobody annoyed me up front; we were doing it on our own,” Rispoli said.
“The course is fast and it played well for her. When it came time, she went. I’m a lucky guy right now. This track suits my abilities. And, most of all, I’m getting to ride good horses trained by good horsemen. That’s what it’s all about.”
The stakes win was the second of the meet for rider Rispoli in his first season at Del Mar.
Cordiality is owned by Donnie Crevier of Costa Mesa, CA, and trained by Tim Yakteen. She now has a lifetime mark of 11 wins in 31 starts with seven of those victories coming on the grass.
“Cordiality was much fitter today and she loves Del Mar. This was a prep for the Solana Beach ($125,000 Saturday, August 15) that’s what we’re looking at next,” trainer Yakteen said with confidence.
“She’s always been a super honest horse and I loved her even before we claimed her (for $62,500 in February of 2019). Her start date this year was delayed almost 60 days by the COVID situation when racing was shut down. I intended to get a prep race before the Fran’s Valentine (5th, June 6) but had to go straight into that instead.”
The stakes win was the first of the meet for trainer Yakteen and his first in the Osunitas. He now has six stakes wins at Del Mar.
Cordiality’s $52,800 share of the winner’s purse pushed her bankroll to $575,635. She made all the fractions – :23.17, :47.08, 1:10.42, 1:21.98 and 1:33.61 – and paid $18.40, $6.60 and $4.40.
Finishing second was race favorite Super Patriot, who races for Little Red Feather Racing and partners. She took the overland in the mile test and was running hard at the finish, but came up a length short at the wire. She paid $3.20 and $2.40.
Third was Sondereker, Lewkowitz and Albert’s Don’t Blame Judy who returned $3.60 to show.
In Sunday’s Pick Six, another solo ticket was cashed when Ostini came running late under Drayden Van Dyke in the nitecap to win by a nose and pay $28.40. That meant the lone ticket holder took down $129,935 from the one-day pool. The ticket, which cost $8,640, was purchased by Player Management Group through Xpressbet. Yesterday, another solo ticket holder hit the bet for a score of $288,005.
Racing resumes at Del Mar Friday with a first post of 2 p.m.
Del Mar Thoroughbred Club Press Release
Photo: Cordiality. Credit: Benoit Photos
