The Astarita Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race run between 1946 and 2005 at New York's Aqueduct Racetrack in South Ozone Park, Queens and at Belmont Park in Elmont. Open to two-year-old fillies, it was a sprint race contested on dirt over a distance of six and a half furlongs. It offered a purse of $100,000.

The Astarita was given Grade III stakes status in 1973 when a grading system was instituted at all racetracks in North America. In 1981 it was elevated to a Grade II event before being downgraded in 2004 to its original Grade III which was maintained until the race was dropped from the schedule in 2006.

In 1955 the Greater New York Association took over management of Belmont Park, Aqueduct Racetrack, Jamaica Race Course and the Saratoga Race Course. Massive renovations led to the subsequent closure of Aqueduct Racetrack for four years and there was no Astarita Stakes run for the three years between 1958 and 1960.

The race was named for Astarita, John Follansbee's filly who won the 1902 inaugural running of the Astoria Stakes at the now defunct Gravesend Race Track on Coney Island, New York City. The Astarita Stakes was run at: Aqueduct Racetrack: 1946–1955, 1962–1966, 1993–1994, 1997 Belmont Park: 1956–1957, 1961

It was contested at various distances: 6 furlongs : 1946–1956 6.5 furlongs : 1972–1994, 1997–2005 7 furlongs : 1957–1971, 1996 8 furlongs : 1995

The Astarita was run in two divisions in 1965, 1968 and 1972.

Historical notes The first running of the Astarita Stakes took place at Aqueduct on September 21, 1946. It was won by Keynote, a strawberry roan filly owned by the Wheatley Stable and ridden by future Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee Hedley Woodhouse.

USN Rear-Admiral Howard Adams Flanigan won the 1954 running of the Astarita with his good filly Two Stars. On the same racecard, future U. S. Racing Hall of Fame jockey Ted Atkinson reached a milestone in his career with his 3,000th win aboard the Greentree Stable colt Devastation.

In 1955 Cosmah captured the Astarita Stakes and in 1963 her daughter Tosmah, a future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, also won it.

The 1961 edition was won by Cicada, Christopher Chenery's three-time National Champion and U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee.

In 1964 Queen Empress won by a nose but was disqualified to second for interference giving the win to runner-up I Deceive.

In 2000 Xtra Heat’s win extended her career unbeaten streak to six. She would be voted the 2001 American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly and in 2015 would be inducted into the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame.

The final running of the Astarita Stakes took place on October 2, 2005. It was won by Sensation with Eibar Coa aboard for owner Gary and Betty Biszantz's Cobra Farm and their partner, the Castletop Stable owned by Morton and Bobbi Topfer.

Records Speed record: 110.00 @ 6 furlongs – Alanesian (1956) 1:16.40 @ 6.5 furlongs – Stulcer (1974) 1:22.60 @ 7 furlongs – Syrian Sea (1967)

Most wins by a jockey: 4 – Ron Turcotte (1965, 1968, 1970, 1973)

Most wins by a trainer: 2 – Casey Hayes (1961, 1967) 2 – Charles P. Sanborn (1964, 1982) 2 – Del W. Carroll (1970, 1980) 2 – James A. Jerkens (1997, 1999)

Most wins by an owner: 2 – Wheatley Stable (1946, 1966) 2 – Pin Oak Stable (1953, 1992) 2 – Meadow Stable (1961, 1967) 2 – Harbor View Farm (1965, 1973)

Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Dist. (Furlongs) Time Win$ Grade2005Sensation2Eibar CoaStanley M. HoughCobra Farm & Castletop Stable6.5 F1:16.90$60,000G III2004Toll Taker2Eibar CoaTimothy A. HillsPatrick Welsh6.5 F1:18.16$60,000G III2003Spectacular Moon2Jorge ChavezJohn V. AlecciJohn V. Alecci6.5 F1:17.16$90,000G II2002Humorous Lady2Jerry BaileyMichael R. Smith S. David Plummer6.5 F1:17.76$90,000G II2001Bella Bellucci 2Gary StevensNeil D. DrysdaleMichael Tabor6.5 F1:16.67$60,000G II2000Xtra Heat2Mark JohnstonJohn Salzman Sr.Kenneth Taylor/John Salzman Sr./Harry Deitchman6.5 F1:16.71$60,000G II1999Silentlea2Robbie DavisJames A. JerkensGrace E. Ritzenberg6.5 F1:17.44$60,000G II1998Paved in Gold2Jorge ChavezMichael T. TrivignoBrian S. Dance6.5 F1:18.86$60,000G II1997Ninth Inning2Robbie DavisJames A. JerkensPeter Blum6.5 F1:17.44$60,000G II1996Broad Dynamite2Dale CordovaDamon PollardJoseph D. Kowal6.5 F1:24.02$60,000G II1995Top Secret2Mike E. SmithGeorge R. Arnold IIJohn H. Peace8 F1:36.79$60,000G II1994Miss Golden Circle2Julie KroneJohn C. KimmelCaesar Kimmel & Philip Solondz6.5 F1:23.67$60,000G II1993Shapely Scrapper2Joe BravoBenjamin W. Perkins Jr.Candy Stable (Herb & Ellen Moelis)6.5 F1:24.02$60,000G II1992Missed The Storm2Mike E. SmithWilliam I. MottPin Oak Stable6.5 F1:24.90$60,000G II1991Easy Now2Mike E. SmithC. R. McGaughey IIIOgden Phipps6.5 F1:22.84$60,000G II1990Devlish Touch2Craig PerretCarlos A. GarciaBurning Tree Farm (Jerry Roth, et al.)6.5 F1:18.36$60,000G II1989Dance Colony2José A. SantosRoss R. PierceBuckland Farm6.5 F1:17.80$60,000G II1988Channel Three2Carlos BarreraMichael J. GoswellElser Farms Corp.6.5 F1:17.00$60,000G II1987Flashy Runner2Jacinto VásquezFrank A. AlexanderBarry K. Schwartz6.5 F1:16.60$60,000G II1986Cagey Exuberance2John Nied Jr.Robert W. CamacLindsey D. Burbank6.5 F1:18.20$45,000G II1985Gaudery2Ángel Cordero Jr.Jan H. NerudJohn A. Nerud6.5 F1:17.00$45,000G II1984Mom's Command2Abigail FullerEdward T. AllardPeter D. Fuller6.5 F1:17.80$45,000G II1983Tinas Ten2Richard MiglioreRichard T. DeStasioAlbert Fried Jr.6.5 F1:19.20$30,000G II1982Wings of Jove2Herb McCauleyCharles P. SanbornHelmore Farm (Edgar M. Lucas)6.5 F1:16.80$30,000G II1981Before Dawn2Jorge VelásquezJohn M. VeitchCalumet Farm6.5 F1:16.60$30,000G II1980Sweet Revenge2Jorge VelásquezDel W. CarrollWilliam S. Farish III6.5 F1:17.20$33,360G III1979Royal Suite2Jeffrey FellRoger LaurinReginald N. Webster6.5 F1:17.20$25,815G III1978Fall Aspen2Roger VelezJames E. PicouJoseph M. Roebling6.5 F1:17.00$24,000G III1977Lakeville Miss2Ruben HernandezJose A. MartinRandolph Weinsier6.5 F1:17.80$21,000G III1976Sensational2Ángel Cordero Jr.Woody StephensMill House Stable6.5 F1:17.40$22,185G III1975Picture Tube2Eddie MapleAnthony L. BasileBwamazon Farm (Millard A. Waldheim)6.5 F1:18.40$23,340 G III1974Stulcer2Ángel Cordero Jr.Warren A. Croll Jr.Jaclyn Stable (W. S. Paley & Dr. Leon Levy)6.5 F1:16.40$17,040G III1973Raisela2Ron TurcotteJohn W. JacobsHarbor View Farm6.5 F1:16.80$17,610G III1972-1Princess Doubleday2Braulio BaezaDavid SazerFrank J. Sitzberger6.5 F1:17.20$13,9651972-2Waltz Fan2John MallamoVictor J. NickersonMereworth Farm (Walter J. Salmon Jr.)6.5 F1:17.80$14,0401971Barely Even2Tommy BarrowLouis M. GoldfineMrs. S. Leonard Gilmartin7 F1:23.40$21,1201970Deceit2Ron TurcotteDel W. CarrollWindfields Farm7 F1:23.80$19,4021969Cherry Sundae2John RotzGeorge SeaboShelter Rock Stable7 F1:24.80$19,8901968-1Show Off2Eddie BelmonteWillard C. FreemanAlfred G. Vanderbilt Jr.7 F1:25.00$14,8031968-2Dihela2Ron TurcotteSidney J. SmithAlfred J. Giordano7 F1:24.20$14,966 1967Syrian Sea2Bobby UsseryCasey HayesMeadow Stable7 F1:22.60$19,1751966Irish County2Braulio BaezaEdward A. NeloyWheatley Stable7 F1:24.40$19,3701965-1Swift Lady2Bill ShoemakerBurley E. ParkeHarbor View Farm7 F1:23.601965-2Lady Pitt (DH)2Ron TurcotteStephen A. DiMauroThomas A. Eazor7 F1:23.001965-2Prides Profile (DH)2Donald PierceSam N. EdmundsonClarence W. Smith7 F1:23.001964I Deceive †2Fernando AlvarezCharles P. SanbornErnest H. Wood7 F1:26.60$19,9551963-1Petite Rouge2Johnny SellersWoody SedlacekJacques D. Wimpheimer7 F1:23.60$14,3481963-2Tosmah2Sam Boulmetis Sr.Joseph W. MerglerBriardale Farm (Anthony Imbesi)7 F1:23.60$14,5111962Main Swap2Braulio BaezaCharles R. ParkeFred W. Hooper7 F1:23.00$19,2721961Cicada2Bill ShoemakerCasey HayesMeadow Stable7 F1:24.40$19,6301957Polamby2Pete AndersonMacKenzie MillerNed W. Brent7 F1:25.80$18,5501956Alanesian2William BolandJames W. MaloneyWilliam Haggin Perry6 F1:10.00$11,4501955Cosmah †2Karl KorteFrank J. ZittoEugene Mori6 F1:11.40$12,2001954Two Stars2Nick ShukSherrill W. WardHoward Adams Flanigan6 F1:12.80$12,8001953Make A Play2Ben GreenThomas A. KellyPin Oak Stable6 F1:13.20$8,4501952Grecian Queen2Eric GuerinJames P. ConwayFlorence Whitaker6 F1:13.60$8,9251951Place Card2Arnold KirklandVirgil W. RainesBrandywine Stable6 F1:12.60$9,5751950Jacodema2Robert PermaneKay E. JensenApheim Stable (Bernard Heiman)6 F1:12.00$8,9501949Blue Kay2Ted AtkinsonHarold CrouchElkcam Stables6 F1:14.00$9,3751948Nell K2Douglas DodsonJohn B. PartridgeSpring Hill Farm6 F1:14.60$10,2751947Bellesoeur2Tommy MayGeorge P. "Maj" OdomMrs. Laudy Lawrence6 F1:12.60$9,6501946Keynote2Hedley WoodhouseJames E. FitzsimmonsWheatley Stable6 F1:11.20$10,325

† In 1964 Queen Empress won by a nose but was disqualified to second for interference. † In 1962 Smart Deb won what would have been her eighth straight win had she not been disqualified for interference. † In 1955 Dark Charger won but was disqualified to last.

External links Belmont Park at the NYRA

References