Quick, Hermaphrodite Bring Home Barn Exacta in Astra

ARCADIA, CA – The Hronis Racing-owned and John Sadler-trained pair  Quick and Hermaphrodite, separated by the slimmest of margins on the wire, brought home the barn exacta in Sunday’s $100,000 Astra Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park.

Quick (the 8/5 favorite under Umberto Rispoli) and Hermaphrodite (the 4/1 second choice with Joel Rosario aboard) settled comfortably alongside each other while Aunt Lubie led just ahead of them.

After an expected pedestrian pace in the early stages of the 1 1/2-mile firm turf marathon, the pace quickened as the field entered the far turn for the final time.

Hermaphrodite waited for an opening to appear along the rail as Quick went wide near the top of the stretch and got first jump on the pacesetter.

Though Hermaphrodite finally squirted free near the 1/8 pole, it may have come too late, as Quick proved just tough enough to catch before crossing a nose clear, completing the race in 2:27.71.

“I planned in my mind to go forward and sit outside the lead,” Rispoli said. “Obviously she was ready to break, so she broke first before everybody, but she’s such a nice filly, she was a little bit excited today. I got a nice trip. Pace was not that fast, so I had to make a decision to move. I knew where I sat and I know her, she could go through, she’s a galloper. When she moved again, I got lucky it was by the wire. Sometimes, you need a little luck in these things.”

Altea‘s last-to-first charge put her third by a 1/2-length over Lucky Peridot, with Carpe Vinum, the defending champion Ms Peintour, and a weakened Aunt Lubie close behind.

Miss Addie Pray and Avenue de France completed the order of finish.

Quick’s win was her first at the graded stakes level and improved her overall record to 16-4-5-3. The British-bred 5-year-old Olympic Glory mare has now earned $170,335.

“She got the trip she needed today,” said assistant trainer Juan Leyva. “She got to relax, not be on the front end. She settled well and got a perfect trip.  I think our other filly might have been a little better, but it worked out great, we ran one-two.”

Quick returned $5.80 to win, $3.60 to place, and $2.80 to show. Hermaphrodite brought back $4.80 to place and $3.20 to show, while Altea paid $3.80.