NEWS
Astra stars in Gamely
Posted: Saturday, June 10, 2000
Allen Paulson's homebred filly defeats Happyanunoit for first Grade 1 victory
When Simon says he has a future star in his barn, you better listen.
Trainer Simon Bray had sung the virtues of Astra since the day the Allen Paulson homebred filly stepped into his stable in Ocala.
Gamely Breeders' Cup H. (G1)
Hollywood Park, June 4, $240,950, 11/8 miles, turf, firm, 1:45.81
1—ASTRA, f. 4, Theatrical (Ire)—Savannah Slew, by Seattle Slew.
2—Happyanunoit (NZ), m. 5, =Yachtie (Aus)—=Easter Queen (Aus), by =Rajah (Aus).
3—Tout Charmant, f. 4, Slewvescent—Charm a Gendarme, by Batonnier.
Unraced at two and carefully managed at three, the four-year-old filly brought a record of five victories in six starts into the first Grade 1 test of her career on June 4 in the $240,950 Gamely Breeders' Cup Handicap (G1) for fillies and mares on the Hollywood Park turf.
Fourth in the field of five entering the stretch, Astra vindicated her trainer's faith by unleashing a powerful three-wide rally and outfinishing even-money favorite Happyanunoit (NZ) for a half-length victory in 1:45.81 for 1 1/8 miles on grass.
Tout Charmant finished third, another four lengths back and eight lengths in front of Stonerside Stable stablemate Caffe Latte (Ire), coupled with Tout Charmant as the 8-to-5 second choice. Sweet Ludy (Ire) faded to fifth, another two lengths back.
"What I'm happy about is that I always believed in this horse, and it's nice to see it all come true," said an elated Bray in the winner's circle. A 30-year-old native of London, Bray savored his first Grade 1 stakes victory after going on his own here 13 months ago with a string of Paulson horses after serving a seven-year apprenticeship under trainer Bill Mott.
After Astra recorded her first stakes victory in Hollywood's Matiara Stakes on November 21, Bray made a bold plan from which he has not deviated. "I told everyone we were going to stop with her until the spring," said Bray, who passed up several grass stakes at Santa Anita Park during the winter.
"I listed six stakes I wanted to run in this year, starting with the Jenny Wiley (Stakes [G3])," Bray said of the Keeneland Race Course race in April in which Astra gave him his first graded stakes victory.
"Then I wanted to run in this, the Beverly Hills (Handicap [G1] on July 2), the Beverly D Stakes [G1] at Arlington International Racecourse on August 19), the Yellow Ribbon (Stakes [G1] at Santa Anita Park in the fall), and the Breeders' Cup," continued Bray. "Those six were my dream after the Matiara, and we're one-third of the way through."
Bray thinks added distance will only be to the advantage of the strapping filly. "I thought if she could be one-two-three today, her best opportunities would be later going longer," said Bray.
Astra is by Theatrical (Ire) out of Savannah Slew, one of the first good racehorses Paulson campaigned after buying her for $470,000 at the 1983 Keeneland July yearling sale. She won six of nine starts for trainer Ron McAnally, including the 1985 La Brea Stakes (G3) and Linda Vista Handicap (G3), and earned $212,130.
National earnings leader Kent Desormeaux picked off another Grade 1 prize during a banner year in his first ride aboard the filly. "She's such a powerful filly, you think you're looking at a colt," Desormeaux said after his record fifth Gamely victory. "Happyanunoit really took off in the stretch, but my filly had a target and dug down deep to get by her."
Sent off at 3.80-to-1, Astra scored her sixth victory in seven starts, avenged her only setback to Tout Charmant at Del Mar racetrack last August, and nearly doubled her earnings to $345,424. Her winning time was the fastest in the Gamely since Toussaud set the stakes record of 1:45 in 1993.
Happyanunoit ran a game second under highweight of 121 pounds, four more than the winner.
Madeleine Paulson, wife of the owner and manager of his stable, watched while her ailing husband listened to the race from their home in Del Mar. "You have to go by your gut feeling," she said in reference to the filly stepping up to Grade 1 company.
She said her husband named the filly after a navigational checkpoint, as the record-setting aviator has done for many of his horses. "She's just sort of a heavenly filly," she said. Bray added that Astra is Latin for star.
Desormeaux was naturally disappointed to learn earlier in the day that Fusaichi Pegasus was out of the Belmont Stakes (G1). Trainer Bobby Frankel, the all-time leader with four Gamely victories, was also disappointed by Happyanunoit's narrow setback, but he was happy to inherit apparent Belmont favoritism with Aptitude, who worked six furlongs in 1:15 1/5 here earlier in the day.
"Any time something happens that helps the chances of one of my horses, I don't complain," said Frankel. "I won't kid you like a lot of guys and say that I'm sorry Fusaichi Pegasus isn't running. That wouldn't be honest."
L.A. 'Cap Upset
George Todaro, a former biochemistry professor at the University of Washington, needed three years to learn Highland Gold's forte.
Los Angeles H. (G3)
Hollywood Park, June 3, $107,100, 6 furlongs, fast, 1:09.11
1—HIGHLAND GOLD, h. 5, Slew o' Gold—Whitesburg Express, by Whitesburg.
2—Mellow Fellow, g. 5, Belek—Lady Blockbuster, by Silent Screen.
3—Your Halo, h. 5, Jolie's Halo—Yours Anytime, by Always Gallant.
"We kept trying to run him long, but we finally figured out after his last race that he's best as a closing sprinter," said the co-owner after Highland Gold rallied to record the biggest victory of his career in the $107,100 Los Angeles Handicap (G3) on June 3.
Rated in third by Chris McCarron, Highland Gold closed in the stretch to overtake pacesetters Mr. Doubledown and Dan's Groovy and turn back the belated bids of Mellow Fellow and Your Halo in 1:09.11 for six furlongs.
A five-year-old chestnut son of Slew o' Gold, the northern California invader won by 11/4 lengths over Mellow Fellow, who was a nose in front of Your Halo. Mr. Doubledown, the 7-to-10 favorite and 120-pound highweight, faded in deep stretch to finish fourth, another half-length back.
Highland Gold, who closed strongly to finish second behind Mr. Doubledown in their joint last previous start in the Oakland Handicap at Golden Gate Fields on May 13, was overlooked as the 9.20-to-1 fourth choice in the field of six. He scored his sixth victory in 16 career starts and raised his earnings to $217,805 for Todaro and Jerry Hollendorfer, his trainer and co-owner.
Todaro, who also co-owns stakes-winning three-year-old Globalize, said Highland Gold was purchased out of the 1996 Keeneland September yearling sale for $50,000. "He did very well at two and won his first three starts (at two and three), but when we stretched him out, he didn't do that well," said Todaro. "He came back at Golden Gate this spring to win at six furlongs and closed very fast in his last start."
Todaro, currently conducting medical research for biotech companies, has concluded his experiment with Highland Gold and decided his future is to continue sprinting. "He seems to like this track," said Todaro, who is considering the $300,000 Triple Bend Breeders' Cup Handicap (G2) at seven furlongs on July 9 for Highland Gold's next start.
Garrett Gomez, rider of Your Halo, claimed foul against the winner after being sandwiched at the start, but the stewards dismissed the claim, ruling Old Topper on the outside was more responsible for the trouble.
Mr. Doubledown, second in this race in 1998, bobbled at the start. "He was a little nervous in the gate and didn't break very well," said jockey Victor Espinoza. "I don't think he handled the track very good."
FINISH LINES—Dark Moondancer (GB), who was pulled up as the 9-to-10 favorite in the Charlie Whittingham Handicap (G1) on May 29 after taking a bad step in the early going, apparently escaped the incident with a small bruise to his left foreleg, according to trainer Ron McAnally. …Jockeys Joe Bravo and Emile Ramsammy have left for Monmouth Park and Woodbine racetrack, respectively, while Turf Paradise leader Chance Rollins and Japanese star Yutaka Take are taking their places in the riders' room. ...Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) winner Silic (Fr) is scheduled to make his seasonal debut in defense of his Shoemaker Breeders' Cup Mile Stakes (G1) crown here on June 18. ...Trainer Teddy West has given Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) runner-up Budroyale the summer off after disappointing efforts in his last two starts. ...Bo Hirsch, son of the late Clement Hirsch, said he has bought horses out of his father's estate and will keep his father's silks. Hirsch, an owner, breeder, and Thoroughbred industry leader in California for a half-century, died in March at age 85. ...Trainer John Shirreffs celebrated his 55th birthday on June 1 in anticipation that he will soon be opening a public stable. Shirreffs has won races at a better than 30% clip over the last three years for 505 Farms, whose owner, Marshall Naify, died in April. Dispersal sales are expected this year for all Naify's racing and breeding stock. His Kentucky farm is also on the auction block.
Steve Schuelein is a Southern California correspondent of Thoroughbred Times.
