Asmussen searching for first wins in Astoria, Tremont
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ELMONT, N.Y. – For all his success with 2-year-olds, it’s hard to believe Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen has yet to win either the Tremont or Astoria stakes for juveniles run at Belmont Park.
Sunday, Asmussen will take another shot at both when he sends out Gold Sweep in the Tremont and Closing Act in the Astoria. Both stakes have a purse of $150,000 and are contested at 5 1/2 furlongs.
Originally, the Tremont and Astoria were scheduled to be the co-features on Sunday’s card. But with the cancellation of Thursday’s card here due to poor air quality, the Tremont and Astoria are two of four stakes on an 11-race program that includes the Grade 2, $200,000 Wonder Again and $150,000 Jersey Girl which had been scheduled for Thursday.
First post Sunday is 1:05 p.m.
Gold Sweep, a son of Speightstown, was a four-wide, rallying second behind the Doug O’Neill trained Wilson Q in a five-furlong maiden race on May 18. He is the only maiden in this field of seven, but his 75 Beyer Speed Figure tops the field.
“He’s who you wanted when you watched the race,” Asmussen, who has two seconds and a third from seven Tremont starters, said of Gold Sweep. “He came out of it good. I think he’ll run great.”
Jose Ortiz rides Gold Sweep from post 6.
Frosty the Giant is the only horse in the field with two starts. He debuted April 20 at Keeneland, where he had the misfortune of running into American Rascal, the Wesley Ward-trained monster who won by 10 1/4 lengths. Frosty the Giant, off slow that day, finished fourth, beaten 2 1/2 lengths for second.
Frosty the Giant came back on May 11 at Churchill Downs and drew off to a six-length win in a field of 11. That five-furlong race was restricted to horses that sold (or did not reach their reserve) for $50,000 or less at their most recent auction.
“He came out of the race real good and he’s trained tremendously since that race,” said trainer Anthony Farrior, who is 0 for 4 at Belmont, including a sixth in the 2018 Tremont. “Hopefully, the light bulb clicked on. He’s worked twice since that race and he’s worked great.”
Manny Franco has the mount from the outside post.
Vitement, a son of Mizzen Mast, was a debut winner on May 3 at Churchill Downs when in the barn of John Hancock. He will go out Sunday for trainer Eddie Kenneally. He breaks from the rail under Flavien Prat.
Debut winners Yo Yo Candy (Parx Racing), Jive (Gulfstream Park), Jumpingjaggerflash (Laurel), and Ship Cadet (Belmont turf), complete the field.
In the Astoria, which goes as race 2, Asmussen sends out Closing Act, who overcame a very slow start to get up in the final strides of a 4 1/2-furlong maiden race on May 11 at Churchill Downs.
“She got a moderate number but will jump forward off of it,” said Asmussen, who has two seconds and two thirds from five Astoria starters.
The other debut winners – Low Mileage at Laurel, Living Magic at Parx, and Union Suit at Horseshoe Indianapolis – also have just moderate figures.
Trainer Mark Casse enters the first-time starter Golden Ghost, a daughter of Medaglia d’Oro out of the Group 1 winning turf mare Villa Marina, in the Astoria. Casse said he had originally shipped Golden Ghost her for a maiden race that didn’t fill.
“She’s trained really good over the dirt,” Casse said. “Ultimately, she may be a turf horse – her pedigree says that – but we’ll give this a shot.”
While Casse said he has won his “fair share” of stakes at Woodbine with first-time starters, DRF Formulator shows that he is 0 for 10 with firsters in stakes during the last five years.
Following Union Suit’s sharp debut win at Horseshoe Indianapolis, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners bought majority interest in the daughter of Union Rags and transferred her to Graham Motion.
Trainer Phil Schoenthal entered both Living Magic, a maiden winner at Parx, and Donate Life, beaten a neck when third in an off-the-turf maiden at Keeneland.
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