The first time Anisette and Didia met, the latter prevailed by 1 3/4 lengths in the 2023 Rodeo Drive Stakes (G2T). Since that time, both fillies have enhanced their already-sparkling CVs with top-level scores across the country. In the Sept. 7 $250,000 John C. Mabee Stakes (G2T) at Del Mar, the talented pair square off again, another year older and stronger.
Anisette, the undisputed queen of the So-Cal turf mares division, has captured both her starts this year for trainer Leonard Powell in the Gamely Stakes (G1T) and Yellow Ribbon Handicap (G2T) after bowing out her sophomore season victorious in the American Oaks (G1T). Racing for Eclipse Thoroughbreds Partners, Anisette aims for her fourth straight graded tally in the 1 1/8-mile John C. Mabee.
Barring the presence of Didia, Anisette faces a field similar to the one she handily defeated in the Yellow Ribbon last time out over the Del Mar oval Aug. 10. Fuente Ovejuna, second in a dead heat with Uncorked in the Yellow Ribbon, again ships westward from her Kentucky home base for trainer Brendan Walsh while locals Uncorked and Lucky Girl (fourth in the Yellow Ribbon) take another shot at Anisette.
Umberto Rispoli, Anisette's rider in all but one of her eight United States starts since joining Powell's barn in 2023, has the call. Three-for-three at Del Mar, Anisette's always-dangerous closing kick will be tough to beat in Saturday's contest.
If there is a rival to down the Athena of the Golden State, it would be Didia. Campaigned by Merriebelle Stables and Resolute Racing, the 6-year-old Argentine-bred has improved upon her success in 2023 with two glittering victories in the Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational Stakes (G2T) at Gulfstream Park and the New York Stakes (G1T) on Belmont Stakes (G1) weekend at Saratoga Race Course. The New York Stakes, arguably her finest performance to date, saw the Orpen mare come out on top against one of the deepest fields of turf mares assembled this year. War Like Goddess, McKulick, and Fev Rover were among her beaten rivals that day.
Trained by Ignacio Correas IV, Dida enters the Mabee off a fast-closing fourth-place effort in the Diana Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga, in which a soft early pace aided the front-running Whitebeam to victory.
Shipping in from Kentucky, Dida has new rider Hector Berrios in the irons for the Mabee and carries the co-high weight of 124 with Anisette.
Other newcomers in the field include Anisette's stablemate, Apple Tree Stud's Royal Charter, who has finished first and second against allowance company in her two U.S. tries as well as CJ Thoroughbreds' Hang the Moon, runner-up to recent Ladies Turf Sprint Stakes (G2T) victress Ag Bullet in the July 21 Osunitas Stakes at Del Mar.
Del Mar, Saturday, September 7, 2024, Race 9Entries: John C. Mabee S. (G2T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Anisette (GB) Umberto Rispoli 124 Leonard Powell 7/5 2 2Hang the Moon (KY) Kazushi Kimura 120 Philip D'Amato 20/1 3 3Lucky Girl (IRE) Mike E. Smith 120 Philip D'Amato 15/1 4 4Uncorked (AUS) Antonio Fresu 120 Philip D'Amato 10/1 5 5Royal Charter (GB) Diego A. Herrera 120 Leonard Powell 20/1 6 6Didia (ARG) Hector Isaac Berrios 124 Ignacio Correas, IV 4/5 7 7Fuente Ovejuna (GB) Juan J. Hernandez 120 Brendan P. Walsh 20/1
