Estrechada likes the distance in Astra Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – Estrechada, the 7-year-old stakes winner, is based in California with trainer Mike Puype, but she is likely to appear at any racetrack in the nation that has a marathon turf stakes for fillies and mares.

Last August, Estrechada had a career-defining win in the Grade 3 Waya Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on turf at Saratoga.

For 2018, Puype plans to keep Estrechada active throughout the nation. Her first objective is a home game – Sunday’s $75,000 Astra Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on turf for fillies and mares.

Longer distances are key for Estrechada, who ran primarily in races at 1 3/8 miles or longer last year. She was fifth against males in the Grade 2 Marathon Stakes at 1 3/4 miles on dirt Nov. 3 at Del Mar in her latest start.

A two-month break has been a benefit, Puype said. He is optimistic a return to turf will help Estrechada, an Argentine-bred mare who races for Slugo Racing.

“She’s back on grass, which was her best surface the way she ran last year,” Puype said. “The race at Saratoga made the year. That win was a game changer.”

The Waya Stakes was Estrechada’s only win of 2017. She was second in the Astra Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on turf here last February. Stewart Elliott was aboard for that race and has the mount Sunday.

The Astra Stakes drew a field of 11 and is the final race on a nine-race program that begins at 12:30 p.m. Pacific.

Estrechada is one of five stakes winners in the field. Evo Campo won the Grade 3 Santa Barbara Stakes here last April, but was fifth in the Grade 3 Red Carpet Handicap at Del Mar in November behind How Unusual, who starts Sunday.

Queen Blossom won the Group 3 Express Stakes in Ireland in 2016, but is winless in six starts in this country. Plein Air was a stakes winner in Italy in 2016 and will have her first start in the United States and for trainer Bob Baffert on Sunday.

How Unusual will race at 1 1/2 miles for the first time in the Astra, a slight concern for trainer Mike Pender.

“I think the key to her is to get her to relax early,” Pender said. “In the longer distances, she can get into a steady lope.”

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How Unusual won her first stakes in the Red Carpet Handicap at 1 3/8 miles on turf, closing from 11th in a field of 12 to win by a half-length.

The Astra Stakes will be Queen Blossom’s first start for the partnership of Abbondanza Racing and Medallion Racing, who acquired her for $220,000 at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale last year.

Queen Blossom was fourth in the Astra Stakes here last February, her best finish in two career starts at the distance. At the time, Queen Blossom was trained by Graham Motion.

Queen Blossom was later third in the Ramsey Farm Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 5/16 miles on turf at Kentucky Downs in September.

“I think she’ll stay a mile and a half,” trainer Richard Baltas said.

“She looks feminine and she seems to want to go that far the way she gallops. We’re expecting a good run from her. Hopefully, she’s tight enough.”