Mrs. Astor finds room, gets up by nose in Astra Stakes

Mrs. Astor is ending her career with a series of dramatic wins.

Scheduled to be retired and bred in coming months, Mrs. Astor overcame a bit of traffic in the stretch to win Monday’s $100,000 Astra Stakes at Santa Anita by a nose over an unlucky stretch leader in Thebestisyettobe.

Mrs. Astor won her final start of 2025 in the Grade 3 Red Carpet Stakes at Del Mar in November by a neck with a late run.

In the Astra Stakes, for fillies and mares at 1 1/2 miles on turf, Mrs. Astor was last of five to the top of the stretch. Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, Mrs. Astor raced briefly behind rivals before Rispoli moved the 6-year-old mare to the inside.

Mrs. Astor rallied quickly to challenge Thebestisyoettobe and catch that mare in the final stride.

“It’s a tricky race when it’s a five-horse field,” Rispoli said. “Obviously, they look to trap the favorite in and that’s normal, that’s part of the game. Nobody wants to give you an easy win.”

“I was lucky there was nice opening and she was just brave enough, like she was at Del Mar. She is just a great filly.”

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A heavy favorite, Mrs. Astor ($2.60) was timed in 2:27.46 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 84.

Thebestisyettobe, the 7-2 second choice, finished 1 1/2 lengths in front of 18-1 Sakura Blossom. Ima Joker and Little Hidden Port completed the order of finish in the small field.

Hey Jessie was scratched after finishing second in the $175,000 Unusual Heat Turf Classic against California-bred males on Saturday.

Mrs. Astor, owned and bred by George Strawbridge Jr.’s Augustin Stable, has won 8 of 22 starts and earned $627,235. She is by Lookin At Lucky. The Astra Stakes was Mrs. Astor’s sixth stakes win in the last 14 months.

Trainer Jonathan Thomas said last week that Mrs. Astor may race again later this winter or spring before she is bred.

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