India Mantuana looking to show the way in Astra Stakes
ARCADIA, Calif. – India Mantuana had a six-length lead midway through the Grade 3 Red Carpet Stakes on the turf at Del Mar on Thanksgiving and carried that advantage to win by a half-length at 18-1.
Two races earlier, she had been claimed for $40,000. After the Red Carpet, her value soared.
“Let’s hope it wasn’t a fluke,” trainer Ray Bell said on Friday.
India Mantuana will try to stretch her speed from the 1 3/8 miles of the Red Carpet to 1 1/2 miles on turf in Sunday’s Grade 3 Astra Stakes for fillies and mares. Once again, Tyler Baze has the mount on India Mantuana, who is among a field of 10.
India Mantuana is the only entrant who has won a turf stakes in the past six months. Lynne’s Legacy won the Miss America Stakes on the synthetic main track at Golden Gate Fields on Dec. 8.
K P Pergoliscious and Plein Air are likely to challenge India Mantuana for the lead. K P Pergoliscious set the pace in the Grade 1 American Oaks at 90-1 on Dec. 29 and finished second. Plein Air won the 2018 Astra Stakes but has not raced since she finished sixth in the Possibly Perfect Stakes here last June.
KEY CONTENDERS
India Mantuana, by Wilburn
Last 3 Beyers: 89-87-87
◗ Bell expects Baze to have India Mantuana on or near the lead in the Astra Stakes, the mare’s longest race.
“She really pulls hard,” Bell said. “I can’t take her back too much. She doesn’t want to do that.
“She was uncontested at Del Mar. I don’t think we’ll see the same scenario on Sunday.”
◗ Bell trains India Mantuana for Richard Bell, an Oklahoma attorney who is no relation to the trainer. India Mantuana has won 6 of 24 starts and earned $222,047.
Plein Air, by Manduro
Last 3 Beyers: 78-84-91
◗ Plein Air, a minor stakes winner at 1 1/4 miles on turf in Italy in 2016, won her American debut in the 2018 Astra but had only two additional starts last year, finishing fifth in the Grade 3 Santa Barbara Stakes in April and sixth in the Possibly Perfect.
◗ Trained by Bob Baffert, Plein Air resumed workouts in late September, first at Los Alamitos and thenat Santa Anita since late November. Plein Air is the only runner in the Astra who has won at 1 1/2 miles.
Pantsonfire, by Sir Percy
Last 3 Beyers: 70-85-85
◗ Pantsonfire was fourth behind Pyscho Sister in a division of the Miss America Stakes on Dec. 8. Pantsonfire won two optional claimers last year but was winless in five stakes, including a fifth in the Red Carpet.
◗ Leading rider Flavien Prat has the mount for the first time.
“There will be a lot of speed to run at,” trainer Richard Baltas said.
