A jockey On Memorial Day, Umberto Rispoli won his second Grade 1 race as he guided 4-year-old colt Johannes to his first career top-level win in the $300,000 Santa Anita turf Shoemaker Mile.
Rispoli, who had won the Gamely (G1) on Anisette two races prior, put Johannes (2-1) in the middle of the pack in a field of eleven horses. They started their bid close to the quarter pole and won by a half-length after frustrating Funtastic Again (11-1), ridden by Frankie Dettori. Starting as a small favourite over Johannes, Du Jour made a comeback under Flavien Prat, finishing third, 1 3/4 lengths behind the winner.
“That was fantastic. I beat my idol,” said Rispoli, 35, who like Dettori hails from Italy. “I have so much respect for Frankie. Having my second Gamely and Shoemaker Mile on the same day is just a dream come true.”
Johannes, who was trained by Tim Yakteen, triumphed with a fast final time of 1:33.00.
After leading the first quarter mile in 22.28 seconds, 31-1 long shots Goliad and Kyle Frey gained control and went on to establish six-furlong times of 45.50 and 1:09.20. At the top of the stretch, Funtastic Again—a Kentucky invader for trainer Wesley Ward—took the lead, but Johannes was closing in quickly.
Johannes is a homebred horse for Cuyathy, sired by Nyquist. He was moved to turf at the age of two in 2022 after losing his first two starts, both on dirt. Since then, he has only lost once in six starts.
“He showed talent from the start, but to develop into this? I didn’t expect it in the early stages, but I’m very thankful for him and appreciative,” Yakteen said.
Johannes made his comeback from an 11-month break on April 4 at Santa Anita, when he won the American Stakes (G3) at a mile on turf. Before suffering his lone turf defeat at Churchill Downs in the American Turf (G2) on the Kentucky Derby undercard, he won the Baffle Stakes last year while sprinting on the hillside turf course and the one-mile Pasadena.
Johannes has made $423,859 and has an overall record of 9: 5-0-1. He made payments of $6.40, $4, and $3. Funtastic Again gave me back $6.80 and $10.00. Flavien Prat rode Du Jour for trainer Bob Baffert, and the horse returned $3.20.