Tirupati scoring the $100K Wilshire. (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif.—After a near-miss earlier this month in the GII Buena Vista at Santa Anita, Tirupati went gate-to-wire Saturday to earn her first stakes win in Saturday’s Grade III, $100,000 Wilshire Stakes for fillies and mares going a mile on turf.
With Umberto Rispoli aboard for the first time, Tirupati broke alertly from the inside post and proceeded to set fractions of 23.24, 46.99 and 1:10.95 for six furlongs while being tracked by longshot Tahini (24-1) and 5-2 second choice Alpha Bella. In the stretch, she remained comfortably on the lead as Tahini faded out of contention. Continuing to chase was Alpha Bella, with Juan Hernandez up, but she could never get to the leader. Tirupati won by one length over Alpha Bella with 47-1 longshot Big Hug another 1 ¼ lengths back in third.
Tirupati, who is trained by Jonathan Thomas for owner Augustin Stables. Won in a time of 1:34.61. In the Buena Vista also going a mile on turf on March 1, Tirupati finished just a head back of winner Liguria.
“She ran a hell of a race the other day when she got beat. She ran a hell of a race today,” Rispoli said. “The goal was to be on the speed. If nobody went, then Jonathan gave me the green light to do what I wanted, as long as it didn’t turn into a sprint. I just made sure she was ready and at the turn she did the rest.”
A 4-year-old filly by Mitole, Tirupati was a $230,000 auction buy as a yearling. She made her first five starts on dirt before being switched to turf and dropped into a $35,000 maiden claimer at Laurel Park in September. She was a gate-to-wire winner that day and was promptly claimed. She returned in a conditioned $25,000 claimer at Woodbine on synthetic last October, won again and was re-reclaimed by Thomas and Augustin Stable.
Thomas was not at Santa Anita Saturday. Serving in his stead was assistant Chelsie Raabe.
“She is a very very tough filly,” Raabe said. “In her mind she is all racehorse and all she wants to do is be a racehorse. We just let her do her job.”
Tirupati is now 6: 3-1-1 on turf and sports an overall record of 13: 4-3-5 with $237,676 in earnings.
Tirupati paid $4.00, $2.40 and $2.10. Alpha Bella, trained by John Sadler, returned $3.20 and $2.60. Big Hug, with Armando Ayuso aboard for trainer Val Brinkerhoff, paid $6.00.
Live racing resumes Sunday at Santa Anita with a 10-race card starting at 1 p.m.PT.
GRADE III, $100,000 WILSHIRE STAKES QUOTES
Umberto Rispoli, Tirupati, Winner: “Talking to Jonathan before the race, we didn’t want any turn of foot to jump on us. She ran a hell of a race the other day when she got beat by Liguria. (March 1, GII Buena Vista Stakes). She ran a hell of a race today. The goal was to be on the speed, if nobody went then Jonathan gave me the green light to do what I wanted, as long as it didn’t turn into a sprint. I just made sure she was ready and at the turn she did the rest.”
Chelsie Raabe, Assistant Trainer, Tirupati: “She is a very very tough filly, in her mind she is all racehorse and all she wants to do is be a racehorse, so we just let her do her job. There is nothing better than good quality horses and being around them. Everyday these horses show up to work and every time they show up in the afternoon, you can’t ask for anything more.”
