Belmont: Spectacular Moon upsets in Astarita

ELMONT, N.Y. - Spectacular Moon, the longest shot in the field of nine juvenile fillies, charged down the center of Belmont Park's sloppy main track to beat Feline Story by a neck to win the Grade 2, $150,000 Astarita Stakes.

After breaking inward and bumping with Cosmic Wish, Spectacular Moon dropped back to eighth, about 13 lengths out. Spectacular Moon advanced into contention along the inside and was then tipped six wide for the stretch drive. She outkicked Feline Story in the final furlong to get up in time.

Although the last three winners of the Astarita - Xtra Heat, Bella Bellucci, and Humorous Lady - ran in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, owner John Alecci said Spectacular Moon would not.

Earlier on the card, apprentice rider Shannon Uske earned her first stakes victory by guiding Smokume to a 5 1/4-length victory over Lissau in the $71,850 Cowdin Stakes for juvenile colts.

Smokume, a gelded son of Smoke Glacken, is now 3 for 3. He covered the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:17.05 and returned $5 to win.

Jerkens said Smokume could run next in either the Nashua Stakes at one mile on Nov. 2 or the Huntington Stakes at six furlongs on Nov. 16.