Trainer Jonathan Thomas' willingness to ship his horses paid off Nov. 24 as Mrs. Astor worked out a perfect trip to win the $101,000 Red Carpet Stakes (G3T) at Del Mar.
The Red Carpet marked the seventh start this season at a sixth different track for the 4-year-old Lookin At Lucky filly, who most recently was fourth in the Dowager Stakes (G3T) at Keeneland Oct. 20. After that start she was shipped straight to California in preparation for this start.
Forever After All, the Dowager runner-up, was the odds-on favorite in Del Mar's 1 3/8-mile turf contest and was in a great position on the rail down the backstretch after opening fractions of :24.85, :49.47 and 1:15.19. That was until Marksman Queen dropped over to the rail entering the far turn, causing jockey Juan Hernandez to check sharply aboard Forever After All.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Astor was getting a perfect trip from the outside. As if a red carpet had been rolled out specifically for him, jockey Vincent Cheminaud took advantage of the favorite's misfortune and used it as a signal to push forward to the lead. Mrs. Astor surged past the leaders three-wide and held off a rally by the resilient Forever After All to win by a length in 2:16.82. Marksman Queen was third.
Mrs. Astor paid $11.60 to win.
The third win in Mrs. Astor's 15 starts was her first graded triumph. A homebred for George Strawbridge's Augustin Stables, Mrs. Astor has earned $295,235 in her career.
