Anisette returns to action with G1 Gamely win

Anisette, a private purchase by Avenue Bloodstock at the end of her two-year-old season, made a sparkling return to action on Monday when taking the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita.

Settled off the pace set by favourite Ruby Nell, Anisette swept four wide into the stretch and having powered to the lead, held off the challenge of Olivia Maralda for a half-length score.

“When I passed the leaders ahead and took off, she got in front and started to wait for the other horses. I said, ‘No, you don’t do that today,” said jockey Umberto Rispoli. “When she felt that other filly come aside to her she just kept on going. I think it was a great effort. My thought was to get a good break, because once you break on the dirt it could get tricky, most of the horses they stumble. We were a little bit crowded but I had to ride her like she was the best filly in the race. I had a dream trip.”

It was the third victory at the highest level for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Anisette following last year’s dominant scores in the Grade 1 American and Del Mar Oaks.

“I was very happy with the first part of the race,” said winning trainer Leonard Powell. “I got a bit worried when Ruby Nell got the separation with the field, but I was very happy that the field caught up with Ruby Nell early. I could see that Umberto was biding his time and he had a lot of confidence in her, and she got the job done. At the quarter pole, I thought if she makes it, she is a champion.”

Anisette was purchased out of Kevin Philippart de Foy’s yard in late 2022 in conjunction with Aron Wellman. The daughter of Awtaad now has earnings of close to $800,000.

Anisette was bred by the Morera Partnership, in whose colours she won at Wolverhampton, and is out of Tutti Frutti, a Teofilo half-sister to the Group 1 Nassau Stakes winner Soft Centre.

Her win came a day after the maiden success of private purchase Loteri for trainer Philip d’Amato at Santa Anita. The daughter of Ten Sovereigns was purchased out of Ireland last year and races for Living The Dream Stables LLC, Medallion Racing, Omar Aldabbagh and Barry Fowler.