Anisette, Closing Remarks Cross Paths in Rodeo Drive

Anisette  and Closing Remarks  sailed off with the big races in their divisions during the Del Mar summer meeting, and they are set to face each other in the 1 1/4-mile Rodeo Drive Stakes (G2T) Oct. 7 at Santa Anita.

The two haven’t met previously because Anisette is a 3-year-old filly whereas Closing Remarks is 5. In addition, Anisette began her career in her native Great Britain. The daughter of Awtaad  is a perfect three-for-three since coming to this country and is under the tutelage of Leonard Powell.

So is Closing Remarks, who scored in the 1 1/16-mile Yellow Ribbon Handicap (G2T) Aug. 12 and the 1 1/8-mile John C. Mabee Stakes (G2T) Sept. 9. Carla Gaines trains the California-bred daughter of Vronsky  for owner/breeder Harris Farms. Earlier this year, Closing Remarks won the one-mile Royal Heroine Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita.

Umberto Rispoli won all four stakes at Del Mar on the two distaffers. He remains with Anisette, who drew post 2. But don’t cry for Closing Remarks. She gets none other than leading jockey Juan Hernandez, who will ride from post 4.

Trainer Phil D’Amato should never be ignored in a Southern California graded turf stakes. He will bring Turnerloose , to be ridden by Antonio Fresu from the rail. Should Turnerloose prove victorious, she would give D’Amato back-to-back wins in the race. Last year he saddled Going to Vegas . Turnerloose and Going to Vegas have similar ownership, with Abbondanza Racing and Medallion Racing partners in both of them. Ike and Dawn Thrash also co-own Turnerloose.

A 4-year-old daughter of Nyquist  , Turnerloose ran second in the Mabee and fifth in the Yellow Ribbon in her only two starts for D’Amato. Prior to that, Brad Cox trained her, and she won the 2021 Aristocrat Juvenile Fillies Stakes at Kentucky Downs and 2022 Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2T) at Fair Grounds.

Two are shipping to California for the Rodeo Drive.

Ignacio Correas trains Didia , a 5-year-old daughter of Orpen . In her five U.S. starts, dating back to mid-2022, Didia has won four races and finished second once. Her three stakes victories include the May 5 Modesty Stakes (G3T) at Churchill Downs. She has not run since finishing second in the June 9 New York Stakes (G1T) at Belmont Park. Regular pilot Vincent Cheminaud will come in to ride Didia from post 6.

Cox trains Juncture , a 4-year-old daughter of Dark Angel  who in four U.S. starts has won the Ouija Board Distaff Stakes at Lone Star Park. Mike Smith will ride from post 3.

Powell trains another in the field, Neige Blanche . A 6-year-old daughter of Anodin , Neige Blanche won the Possibly Perfect Stakes three starts back at Santa Anita, a race she also took in 2022. She has won seven stakes total, but she is zero for two in the Rodeo Drive and most recently finished fifth in the Mabee. Diego Herrera will ride her from post 7.