Quick noses Hermaphrodite in Astra Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – Quick was eager to get started, and, most importantly, eager to finish on Sunday in the Grade 3, $102,000 Astra Stakes, which she won by a nose over stablemate Hermaphrodite at Santa Anita.

Quick, the 9-5 favorite in the 1 1/2-mile grass race for older female turf horses, busted through the stalls prior to the start, and though she didn’t get far, that’s often something that proves challenging to overcome. But Quick settled nicely once the race began, was ready to go when jockey Umberto Rispoli tried to bust the race open on the far turn, and was able to hang on for her first graded stakes win.

Rispoli was playing hurt. He was spitting blood from his mouth prior to a winner’s circle interview, and later said he had a bruise on his right arm, all the result of Quick trying to go before the gates opened.

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“I got a nice trip,” Rispoli said. “She’s a galloper.”

Aunt Lubie led early, with Carpe Vinum closest, then Hermaphrodite and Quick during the run down the backstretch. After a mile in 1:39.18, Rispoli used his outside trip to try and bust the race open, and though Aunt Lubie and Carpe Vinum initially put up a fight going around the far turn, Quick eventually got the best of them.

Quick had a one-length lead passing the furlong pole, but Hermaphrodite, who had to wait for room to develop, closed strongly along the inside under Joel Rosario to just miss.

The only ones who didn’t have to sweat the outcome were John Sadler, and Kosta and Pete Hronis, the trainer and owners, respectively, of both Quick and Hermaphrodite.

Quick covered 1 1/2 miles on firm turf in 2:27.71. She paid $5.80 for $2 to win.

Quick, 5, a daughter of Olympic Glory, has now won four times in 16 starts, and she’s 2 for 9 since being imported from her native Great Britain. She was third in the Grade 3 Red Carpet going 1 3/8 miles on turf at Del Mar in her prior start Nov. 26, and was second in the CTT and TOC Stakes, also at 1 3/8 miles on turf at Del Mar, during the summer meeting.

Altea, last early, rallied to finish third, 2 1/4 lengths behind Hermaphrodite. Lucky Peridot was fourth, then came, in order, Carpe Vinum, Ms Peintour, Aunt Lubie, Miss Addie Pray, and Avenue de France.