Sneaking Out Much the Best in Rancho Bernardo Handicap
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Sneaking Out rolls to victory in the Rancho Bernardo Handicap at Del Mar
Sneaking Out ran away and hid from the competition in the $101,500 Rancho Bernardo Handicap (G3) at Del Mar, leaving seven foes behind Aug. 21 on her way to a 3 3/4-length victory over Amuse.
The 4-year-old daughter of Indian Evening was in control for much of the race. Breaking alertly under Umberto Rispoli, she was part of a four-way scramble for the early lead in the 6 1/2-furlong Rancho Bernardo as Artistic Diva, narrowly in front, set an opening quarter in :22.35. Given some rein entering the turn, the eventual winner took over, surging to the lead with a half-mile in :45.35.
Only Amuse could keep pace, but over the final stages of the race, no one could. Sneaking Out increased her advantage down the stretch, covering six furlongs in 1:09.34 before completing the distance in 1:15.57 on a fast track. Her time was the fastest in the Rancho Bernardo since Taris smoked the distance in 1:15.31 in 2015.
The 123-pound highweight, she spotted her opponents three to five pounds apiece. She returned $5.60 as the favorite.
Rispoli, who won four races Friday to open up on Flavien Prat in the Del Mar rider standings, needed only to give Sneaking Out a couple of right-handed reminders in midstretch before hand riding her to the wire.
"She did all this today herself. She switched leads nicely, then ‘bam,’ she just went," he said. "At the end she was really rolling; I couldn’t stop her. She’s a really nice filly."
A newcomer to Del Mar this season, Rispoli now has 32 victories at the meet, four more than Prat. Rispoli has five stakes wins at the seaside oval.
Only the dash for the minor awards was tight with three horses finishing virtually together at the wire in a photo for the place. Amuse outlasted third-place Gingham, who rallied from last, and fourth-place Unique Factor.
It was the third Rancho Bernardo win for Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, who won the race last year with Bad Boy Racing's Danuska's My Girl and in 2016 with Stonestreet Stables' Tara's Tango.
"My rider told me he was very impressed with her. She’s getting good right now," Hollendorfer said. "She wins a grade 2 and then puts weight on and still wins; you always hope she can be better."
The Rancho Bernardo was Hollendorfer's 40th stakes win at Del Mar, according to track publicity.
Out of the stakes-placed Kitten's Joy mare Maddie's Odyssey, Sneaking Out is one of four winners for her dam, three of whom have won stakes. The other stakes winners are Grecian Fire, the winner of the 2019 All American Stakes (G3), and Been Studying Her, who captured the Golden State Juvenile Fillies Stakes and Generous Portion Stakes for California-breds, also last year.
Sneaking Out improved to 6-4-0 in 12 starts, and the $60,000 first prize elevated her earnings to $491,441 for owners Kevin and Kim Nish of KMN Racing. Bred by KMN Racing, she won her second consecutive graded stakes after capturing the July 4 Great Lady M. Stakes (G2) at Los Alamitos Race Course over grade 1 winner Bellafina.