Astern (Aus)

A multiple Grade 1 winner in his native South Africa, and the 2023 champion sprinter, Isivunguvungu (SAf) (What a Winter {SAf}) made his North American debut a winning one with a gutsy effort in the Da Hoss Stakes at Colonial Downs. Victorious in the G1 Mercury Sprint last July in Greyville, and also able to claim the G1 Jonsson Workwear Computaform Stakes earlier that year in April at Turffontein, he also picked up a placing at the highest level via a blanket finish to run third in the G1 Pongracz...

A last-out winner against optional claimers over the Tapeta at Golden Gate Dec. 30 by a tidy 7 1/2-lengths, Chase the Chaos (Astern {Aus}) broke his maiden under Robertino Diodoro at second-asking Sept. 17 at Canterbury Park. Switching to the Moger barn he was an outkicked third in the Golden Nugget S. Nov. 12 and caught late in the Gold Rush S. Dec. 3. Up to the challenge against a pair of high-priced KEESEP grads who were invading for Bob Baffert in favorite Gilmore (Twirling Candy) and pacesetter Nullarbor (Candy...

Old Homestead continues his perfect, albeit young, career with a commanding victory in the Lafayette S. on Keeneland's opening day of the spring meet. The Florida-bred began his career with an 11 1/2 length blow out Jan. 28 at Delta Downs, finding no competitor against an open field of maidens at five furlongs. Staying sprinting on the main track at the venue, it was a similarly devastating performance against an allowance field as Old Homestead coasted home by 5 3/4 uncontested lengths. Stepping into stakes company, the Brett Brinkman trainee...

The second-longest shot on the board in a compact field of six, Jeff Treadway homebred Sail By (Astern {Aus}) sat closest to a soft pace and took full advantage of her trip to cause the upset in Saturday's GII Miss Grillo S. at Belmont Park. Away alertly from the inside gate, Sail By conceded the lead to rank outsider Charlee O (Tourist), who enjoyed a soft time of it up front through an opening half-mile in :49.40. Stablemates and market leaders McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Kinchen (Ire) (Lope de...

4th-Del Mar, $71,500, Msw, 9-2, 2yo, f, 5fT, :57.42, fm, 1/2 length. BRANDON'SMYLAWYER (f, 2, Astern {Aus}--Ivory Pearl, by Pulpit), looking to become the fourth U.S. winner for freshman Astern, was sent off the 8-5 choice following a bullet four-furlong move in :47.40 at San Luis Rey Aug. 28. Rushing into contention but a hair behind the pacesetters, the dark bay was forced back slightly but recovered well to sit in a rail-hugging third through a :22.22 quarter. Moved to the outside turning for home, the Richard Baltas trainee caught...