With a Flourish, Astra Whips Field

The way Astra ran the final quarter mile of Sunday’s $200,000 Beverly Hills Handicap at Hollywood Park, it was almost like the 5-year-old Theatrical mare knew jockey Kent Desormeaux had a return flight to Japan to catch.

With a devastating stretch run--she ran the last two furlongs in about 23 seconds--the 9-10 favorite humbled 7-5 second choice and 122-pound highweight Happyanunoit and three other fillies and mares in the Grade I race.

Providing Desormeaux, who came back from Japan for the Beverly Hills but left shortly afterward to return for a $1-million race on Tuesday, with her welcome home gift, Astra established herself as the national leader in her division.

Making her first start since winning the Santa Barbara Handicap on April 14 at Santa Anita, the bay, who is owned by the Allen E. Paulson Living Trust, won for the eighth time in 10 starts.

Completing the 1 1/4 miles on turf in 1:59 3/5, she also turned the tables on Happyanunoit, who won the 2000 Beverly Hills while Astra struggled home in fourth. Happyanunoit was beaten by six lengths in the worst performance of her career.

Proven time and again to run well when fresh, Astra may make only one more start before the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf on Oct. 27 at Belmont Park. The Beverly D. on Aug. 18 at Arlington is most likely her next stop.

“I said I would go halfway around the world and back to ride this mare and she was worth it,” said Desormeaux, who arrived at LAX at noon after a 9 1/2-hour flight and came directly to Hollywood Park where he rode three other horses before Astra. “She has the best turn-of-foot of any mare I’ve ever ridden. It’s awesome.

“She’s a brilliant mare. I think [trainer] Simon [Bray] has done an exceptional job with her because I don’t think people realize how aggressive she used to be. She’s very much a lady now and Simon’s taught her how to be that way.”

A former assistant to Bill Mott, Bray has a knack for winning with horses either making their first start or returning from layoffs, but he admitted he made a mistake with his prize mare in last year’s Beverly Hills.

“I ran her back a little quick,” Bray said. She had won the Gamely Breeders’ Cup Handicap four weeks before the Beverly Hills. “That won’t happen again. I want to thank all my help. It is truly a team effort.”

Happyanunoit, who had edged Tranquility Lake to win the Gamely last month in her first start of the year, finished 3 1/2 lengths in front of Kalypso Katie, then came Polaire and Jig.

The future of Tiznow is still very much up in the air.

Treated with muscle relaxers for the last several days because of recurring back problems, the 2000 horse of the year isn’t progressing as well as trainer Jay Robbins hoped.

Idle since his easy win in the Santa Anita Handicap on March 3, the 4-year-old son of Cee’s Tizzy has not resumed serious training since straining his lumbar vertebrae in April.

“Everything’s so-so,” said Robbins from his stable at Santa Anita Sunday morning. “He looked really good galloping [Friday], but not quite as good [Saturday].

“He’s gotten better, but still not to my satisfaction. I feel like we’re taking one step forward and a half step back. It’s still a day-to-day thing. We’re getting to a time when we’re really pushing it if we’re going to have him ready for the end of the year.

If there isn’t a move forward soon by the defending Breeders’ Cup Classic champion, Robbins said he will have to sit down with co-owner Michael Cooper and veterinarian Dr. Rick Arthur and decide their course of action.

The first California-bred to win a Breeders’ Cup race, Tiznow is scheduled to be retired at the end of this year, but it may turn out that the Big ‘Cap was his final race.

A Ransom, the world champion quarter horse in 2000, made a successful 5-year-old debut with a half-length win over Meddlin In Money and five others in the $143,826 Spencer Childers Handicap Saturday night at Los Alamitos.

The Childers was one of eight graded stakes for California breds run Saturday as part of California Champions Night.

Unbeaten in five starts last year, A Ransom, the 13-10 favorite, completed the 400 yards in 19.73 seconds under Carlos Bautista. Connie Hall trains the gelding for owners John and Kathy Bobenrieth.

A race later, 3-5 favorite Your First Moon won the $352,000 Governor’s Cup Futurity by three-quarters of a length over Last Shall Be First. A winner of four of five for owner Vessels Stallion Farm, Inc. and trainer Danny Cardoza, the 2-year-old First Down Dash filly completed the 350 yards in 17.78 seconds under jockey Dusty Stimpson.

Blue Grass Bounce, a 4-1 choice, gave trainer Laura Lukas one of her three wins on the program with a half-length victory over Make It Anywhere in the $157,000 Governor’s Cup Derby. Lukas also took the $21,600 California Breeders Freshman Stakes with Bobcat Bob and the $28,100 California Breeders Sophomore Stakes with 11-1 outsider Bridlewood.

Making her first start since Jan. 19, Corona Kool was dominant in the $52,800 California Breeders Matron Stakes, winning by 2 3/4 lengths in 19.75 for the 400 yards. The 4-year-old daughter of First Down Dash has now won 10 of 19 for owner Lucas Racing, Inc. and trainer Donna McArthur.

Making his first start since finishing a distant second to Point Given in the Santa Anita Derby, Crafty C.T. finished fourth as the 3-10 favorite in a seven-furlong allowance race Sunday at Hollywood Park.

After being pressured by 26-1 shot Warum Nicht through quick fractions (21 4/5 and 44 2/5 for the half-mile), Crafty C.T. tired in the final furlong and his off-the-board finish led to some inflated show payoffs.

Sing Because, who won the race by a nose, paid $20.80 to show, $16 to win and $7.00 to place.

The four main players for Sunday’s $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup are scheduled to have their final works for the Grade I race Tuesday morning.

Captain Steve will work at Santa Anita while Skimming and Aptitude, who are both trained by Bobby Frankel, and Futural will work at Hollywood Park.