Closing Act catches Union Suit in Astoria Stakes
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Closing Act remained unbeaten in two starts when she overtook Union Suit in the stretch and went on to a 3 1/4-length victory in the $150,000 Astoria on Sunday at Belmont Park.
Union Suit held second, while it was another 1 1/2 lengths back in third to Living Magic.
Closing Act ($3.40) came into the Astoria off a maiden special weight win on May 11 at Churchill Downs. She was content to track Union Suit on Sunday, as Union Set set a pressured pace of 22.33 for the opening quarter and 46.30 for the half-mile. Closing Act took the lead from there and went on to cover 5 1/2 furlongs on a fast track in 1:06.59.
“She’s nice,” winning rider Irad Ortiz Jr. told the publicity department for the New York Racing Association. “She broke pretty well with the field, but when close to the turn [Union Suit] got a little advantage on me. I couldn’t clear anybody so I had to stay there. After that, I had to make her go a little early. It’s only a five and a half, so I couldn’t do too much. I just made her go forward and she responded really well, so I just kept going.”
Steve Asmussen trains Closing Act for her breeder and owner, Doug Scharbauer. The daughter of Munnings was bred in Texas. She has now earned $124,500.
* In the first race, Mashnee Girl had to be euthanized after sustaining “a catastrophic injury” to her left foreleg, according to NYRA publicity. Jockey Jose Lezcano was cleared to ride for the remainder of the card. Mashnee Girl was a three-time winner who also was stakes-placed during her 19-race career. The 5-year-old daughter of the War Front stallion Air Force Blue was bred in New York and earned nearly $200,000.
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