Closing Act (Munnings) put it all together here to secure the first black-type victory of her young career in the Astoria S. as the 3-5 favorite.
A step slow on debut May 11 beneath the Twin Spires, she showed a good turn of foot in the lane to run down rivals for a neck win over an experienced rival. Brushing with Living Magic after leaving the blocks, she was urged along to keep pace from the outside of rivals and went as far as four wide into the final bend. Gaining ground steadily to launch her bid coming up on the quarter pole, Closing Act took the lead in upper stretch and shook away under a right-hand stick into the final furlong. It was 3 1/4 lengths back to pacesetter Union Suit and Living Magic came on from the back to round out the trifecta.
“She made a few mistakes first time out and we told Irad [Ortiz, Jr.] that we thought she'd be more forwardly placed and more professional, and she was,” said Scott Blasi, Steve Asmussen's assistant. “She got a lot out of her first race. Super proud of her today. She's really gone through a growth spurt this month and she's filling out and looks beautiful.”
A Texas-bred daughter of Munnings, the victress is the most recent to the races thus far for Evening Show, who also counts a yearling filly by Competitive Edge to her tally. That dam hails from the female line of Tuesday Evening (Nodouble), who herself produced GISP Madame Pandit (Wild Again).
Said daughter would go on to tally GISW Mea Domina (Dance Brightly) and GSP Ivory Empress (Seeking the Gold), who would gain her fame via 'TDN Rising Star' MGSW McCraken (Ghostzapper); GISP & MGSW Four Graces (Majesticperfection); 'TDN Rising Star' GSP With Dignity (Declaration of War); and MGSP Bondurant (War Front). This is the extended family of GISP & MGSW Greek Sun. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
ASTORIA S., $145,500, Belmont, 6-11, 2yo, f, 5 1/2f, 1:06.59, ft.
1–CLOSING ACT, 122, f, 2, by Munnings
1st Dam: Evening Show (SP, $237,664), by Master Command
2nd Dam: Good Evening, by Dixieland Heat
3rd Dam: Tuesday Evening, by Nodouble
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O/B-Douglas Scharbauer (TX); T-Steven Asmussen; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.. $82,500. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $124,500.
2–Union Suit, 122, f, 2, Union Rags–Ojai, by Verrazano. ($9,000 Ylg '22 KEEJAN). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Madaket Stables LLC and Highlight Thoroughbreds; B-Farfellow Farms Ltd. & W. S. Farish (KY); T-H. Graham Motion. $30,000.
3–Living Magic, 122, f, 2, Justify–Living The Life (Ire), by Footstepsinthesand (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O/B-HnR Nothhaft Horseracing LLC (KY); T-Phil Schoenthal. $18,000.
Margins: 3 1/4, 1HF, 4HF. Odds: 0.70, 3.95, 10.90.
Also Ran: Golden Ghost (GB), Donate Life. Scratched: Low Mileage.
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