Asti makes incredible comeback in Athenia

Despite being left in the gate of Saturday's $111,300

Athenia H., Joseph Allen's ASTI (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) managed to make a big rally to pull of the victory

over even-money favorite Bohemian Lady (Carson City). Originally scheduled for

Belmont Park's turf, the 1 1/16-mile test was moved to the muddy main track and

subsequently downgraded from Grade 3 status to listed pending review by the

American Graded Stakes Committee.

Under Jorge Chavez, Asti settled in last through :23 1/5 and :45 4/5 behind the

pacesetting Bohemian Lady. The Allen Jerkens trainee altered course in the

stretch to make a strong rally on the outside and get up in the final strides to

win by three parts of a length at 7-1 while stopping the teletimer in 1:42 2/5.

Asti returned $16.20, $4.30 and $3.10 for the victory while

Bohemian Lady returned $2.80 and $2.40. Another three parts of a length back came Zosima

(Capote) who gave back $5.20 for the place. The exotics returned $50.50 (exacta) and

$222 (7-10-8 trifecta). My Lordship (Lord Avie), Miss Mambo (Kingmambo) and

Sharp Needle (GB) (Mark of Esteem [Ire]) rounded out the order of finish.

Delta Princess (A.P. Indy), Natalie Beach (Arg) (Tempranero [Chi]), Moon

Dazzle (Kingmambo) and Fortunate Damsel (Runaway Groom) were all scratched.

Bred in Ireland by Dayton Investments, Asti is out of the stakes-winning Astorg

(Lear Fan), who has also produced the unraced two-year-old Azalee (Peintre Celebre).

This victory, her first stakes win, improves Asti's line to 16-2-5-3 with $248,587 in earnings.

She's placed in seven other black-type events, including a French Group 1.