Astarita Stakes

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==

• † 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==