Rispoli a Traveling Rider This Summer

Jockey Umberto Rispoli is no stranger to success. He won 15 graded stakes in 2024, has collected numerous riding championships and records back in his home country of Italy and is one of the most respected grass riders in this country.

But nothing has compared to the ride he’s been on the past couple of months. Rispoli is the regular jockey for Journalism, runner-up to Sovereignty in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes and winner of the Preakness and G1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park.

“Winning a classic race is the goal of every jockey every year,” Rispoli contends, “and trying to find a horse like Journalism is the key. Every year you wish to get a horse like him.”

He calls the victory in the Preakness the biggest achievement of his career, which has taken him all around the world. From Italy he moved to France. He’s also ridden in England, Australia, Japan and Hong Kong before coming to the United States in 2020.

Through it all, he’s ridden some quality racehorses, but now there’s a new name at the top of the Rispoli Top Ten list.

“I have to put him on the top,” he says of Journalism. “It was a big achievement for me to be a favorite in the Kentucky Derby and then the favorite in the Belmont against Sovereignty. The whole journey of the Triple Crown campaign was amazing. Plus you put the Haskell in there. So far it’s been a wonderful season.”

What makes the Rispoli / Journalism union different from his other successful partnerships is that most of that success has come on the turf.

“It’s the first time I have found a real good dirt horse,” Rispoli claims. “I worked him at Del Mar last summer and then after his first start we saw something different in him. We knew he was a two-turn horse, no doubt about it.”

Rispoli has three winners so far at Del Mar, a noticeable drop-off from past year’s production but with good reason. He missed the first Saturday of the meet when he traveled back east to ride Journalism at Monmouth Park and he’s gone again this weekend.

“So far it’s been a slow Del Mar for me, which I would say is unusual,” Rispoli admits. “When you’re not here, it costs you some rides. But if that affords you the chance to ride horses like Journalism or Johannes, you do it.”

Rispoli is in New York today to ride Johannes in the G1 Fourstardave at Saratoga. With all the traveling he’s been doing lately, he’s definitely piling-up the frequent flyer miles.

“I like that,” Rispoli insists. “When I was in Europe I used to travel in a car for five hours just to ride one horse and then come back. When you have a day to fly around and ride good horses it gives you motivation.”

Even with all this recent success, Umberto says he’s not one to rest on his laurels.

“Once you win a big race you just forget about it and move on,” Rispoli states. “Enjoy the day, enjoy the moment but there are other big races out there to win. If I had a bad day yesterday, I’m more hungry than ever.”

Coming as close as he did to winning the Kentucky Derby like he did this year only intensifies that hunger in his bid to win the biggest prize in horse racing.

“You need a good horse and a barn that supports you,” Rispoli believes. “Irad (Ortiz, Jr.) and Flavien (Prat) on the east coast ride for specific trainers. Here, Juan (Hernandez) is riding a lot for Bob (Baffert). You need those stables that support you from the beginning when the 2-year-olds comes around.”

Rispoli has gained the confidence of trainer Michael McCarthy and owner Aron Wellman of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and he has every intention of rewarding that confidence all the way to the Breeders’ Cup this fall at Del Mar.