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Mrs. Astor Looks For Bounce-Back Performance In Sunday’s Santa Barbara Stakes For Older Fillies And Mares At 1 ½ Miles On Turf At Santa Anita

4/30/2025

MRS. ASTOR LOOKS FOR BOUNCE-BACK PERFORMANCE IN SUNDAY’S SANTA BARBARA STAKES FOR OLDER FILLIES AND MARES AT 1 ½ MILES ON TURF AT SANTA ANITA

ARCADIA, CA (April 30, 2025)—Mrs. Astor, a winner of consecutive graded stakes before finishing second in last month’s GIII Santa Ana, will try and get back on the beam for trainer Jonathan Thomas Sunday in the Santa Barbara Stakes for older fillies and mares going 1 ½ miles on turf at Santa Anita.

In the Santa Ana going 1 ½ miles on turf, Mrs. Astor rallied from second-last under Umberto Rispoli and was beaten 2 ½ lengths by winner Lady Claypoole. Prior to that effort, the 5-year-old mare by Lookin at Lucky won both the GIII Robert J. Frankel in December at Santa Anita and GIII Red Carpet in November at Del Mar.

Mrs. Astor, who will again have Rispoli aboard, is 17: 4-5-3 with $375,235 in earnings for owner-breeder Augustin Stables.

Starry Heavens, a European import trained by Phil D’Amato, made her U.S. debut in the Santa Ana following an eight-month layoff. The 5-year-old mare by Mastercraftsmen had the lead briefly in mid-stretch in the Santa Ana but was overtaken late by both Lady Claypoole and Mrs. Astor to finish third by three lengths.

Owned by R Unicorn Stable, Starry Heavens made 16 starts in Europe while trained by Jessica Harrington, which included multiple Group 3 attempts without a win. She has an overall record of 17: 3-0-3 with $84,778 in earnings. Jockey Antonio Fresu, who was aboard in the Santa Ana, retains the mount.

Sophisticate gets another graded stakes crack for trainer John Shirreffs and stretches out in distance after checking in fourth in the GIII Wilshire at a mile on turf March 29 at Santa Anita. Owned by John M. O’Connor, the 4-year-old filly by Liam’s Map is 9: 1-3-1 with $90,680 in earnings. She will be ridden by Hector Berrios, who was also aboard in the Wilshire.

THE SANTA BARBARA WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 4 of 10 Approximate post time 2:30 p.m. PT

  1. Sophisticate – Hector Berrios – 120
  2. Sakura Blossom – Armando Ayuso – 124
  3. Mahina – Kazushi Kimura – 120
  4. Khinjani – Mike Smith – 122
  5. Starry Heavens – Antonio Fresu – 124
  6. Mrs. Astor – Umberto Rispoli - 124

First post Sunday is at 1 p.m. PT. Admission gates open at 11 a.m.