It took every inch of the 1 3/8 miles, but Mrs. Astor got up in time to successfully defend her title in the $100,000 Red Carpet Stakes (G3T) at Del Mar Nov. 23.
Racing on the rail throughout the three-turn race, jockey Umberto Rispoli followed behind Public Assembly as they entered the stretch. At the 16th pole, Rispoli found enough racing room to tip to the two-path. Despite slower early fractions of :24.95, :49.89, and 1:15.77 set by stablemate, Will Then, Mrs. Astor's late turn of foot was not diminished.
Surging past Public Assembly in the final strides, Mrs. Astor got up to win by a neck in 2:18.86 and paid $5.40 to win. Paradise Lake, who raced side-by-side with Mrs. Astor early, closed on the outside to finish third.
"We had talked about saving all the ground, trusting her coming with one deliberate run," trainer Jonathan Thomas told FanDuel TV's Joaquin Jaime. "There was a dicey moment a couple yards before the wire, but she looked like she was traveling very beautifully around there."
Dating back to her Red Carpet win last year, the 5-year-old Lookin At Lucky mare has sparkled in the California sun for Thomas. Making her last seven starts between Del Mar and Santa Anita Park, the homebred for George Strawbridge Jr.'s Augustin Stables has earned five stakes victories and picked up a third grade 3 win Sunday. Her career earnings have now reached $567,235.
