Astra Holds Off Peu a Peu

Astra did what she was supposed to do in the $250,000 Beverly Hills Handicap, winning at 2-5 and becoming the fourth back-to-back winner in the Grade I race.

It was far from easy, however.

Peu a Peu, the 7-1 second choice, made Astra work through the final quarter of a mile, but the classy mare prevailed for the 11th time in 15 starts.

The 124-pound highweight for the family of the late Allen Paulson and trainer Laura De Seroux, Astra won by a neck under jockey Kent Desormeaux, completing the 1 1/4 miles in 1:58 2/5. The final two furlongs were run in a rapid 23 2/5 seconds.

“Last time [in her win in the Gamely on May 27], I might have sat too long,� Desormeaux said. “This time, I may have moved too soon. I don’t know, but she keeps getting me there first.

“That is the bottom line and it’s all Astra. She definitely saw [Peu a Peu] coming.�

A winner of the Yerba Buena Breeders’ Cup Handicap at Bay Meadows on May 18 in her U.S. debut for trainer Bobby Frankel and owner Gary Tanaka, Peu a Peu, who was getting eight pounds (124-116), finished five lengths clear of Crazy Ensign, the 7-1 third choice.

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Jockey Jerry Bailey swept the graded stakes at Belmont Park, winning the $242,500 Mother Goose with Nonsuch Bay and the $106,600 Tremont with favored Zavata.

Owned by Joseph Platt Jr. and trained by Frank Alexander, Nonsuch Bay, the 5-2 second choice, rallied from last to beat 6-5 favorite Chamrousse by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:49 for the 1 1/8 miles.

Zavata, a 2-year-old son of Phone Trick, won for the second time in three starts for owner Michael Tabor and trainer Patrick Biancone.

The 1-2 favorite, Zavata completed the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:02 3/5 while beating 5-2 second choice Hussar by 6 1/4 lengths.

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Atelier, an 8-1 longshot, won the $300,000 Molly Pitcher Breeders’ Cup Handicap, beating 7-10 favorite Summer Colony by a length at Monmouth Park. Spain, who was seeking her third consecutive stakes win, was third in the field of five as the 6-5 second choice.