Kitten's Point goes last to first to win Astra Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – French jockey Flavien Prat guided Kitten’s Point from last on the backstretch to win Sunday’s $80,500 Astra Stakes for females on turf at Santa Anita, the second stakes win in as many days in two states for the 22-year-old rider.

Prat has been riding in Southern California for the last month, having spent last winter here before moving back to France for that country’s flat turf season. On Sunday, Prat said he plans to remain in the U.S. throughout 2015.

In the Astra Stakes over 1 1/2 miles on turf, Kitten’s Point ($10.60) rallied three wide in the stretch to reach the front in the final furlong and win by 1 1/2 lengths over the 7-5 favorite Lady Pimpernel. Kitten’s Point is trained by Graham Motion, who finished third with Lady of Gold.

Kitten’s Point was last of nine for the first mile, well behind a decent pace of 24.21 seconds and 47.19 for the first half-mile set by the 85-1 outsider Assure. Lady Pimpernel inherited the lead entering the turn and led by a length in early stretch. She could not sustain the advantage.

Kitten’s Point was timed in 2:26.61.

“They went fast, and I think she liked that,” said Prat.

Scooter Bird finished fourth, followed by Shysheisnot, Luvly Rita, Perfecta, Assure, and Practising.

Kitten’s Point races for George Strawbridge’s Augustin Stable and has won 4 of 12 starts and earned $328,665. A 5-year-old mare by Kitten’s Joy, Kitten’s Point won the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride Stakes at Gulfstream Park in March 2013. The Astra Stakes was the first start for Kitten’s Point since she finished eighth as the 5-2 favorite after a poor start in the Kathryn Crosby Stakes over a mile on turf Nov. 7 at Del Mar.

Prat had a memorable weekend. He won the Cotton Fitzsimmons Handicap at Turf Paradise in Phoenix on Saturday on Power Ped. Prat is best known for winning the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac on the Arc de Triomphe undercard in 2013 on Indonesienne.