Unlike last time, a photo finish was not required to determine if a filly trained by Randy Morse prevailed in the $200,000 Purple Martin Stakes.
It wasn't the one that the majority of Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort bettors predicted but was the second on Saturday for co-owner Morse, this one also racing for Randy Patterson and Sam Vogel. Call it a win-win (or win-place) finish for the soft-spoken trainer.
Jockey Emmanuel Esquivel earned a sweet victory on Asternia after being nosed out on Blue Squall in the $150,000 Dixie Belle on Feb. 17. The Astern 3-year-old stalked the pace and took command by the quarter pole in the six-furlong race.
Asternia, winning a stakes race on her third try, staged a pre-St. Patrick's Day parade in the stretch for a 5 1/4-length victory in a compact field of six. She stopped the clock in 1:10.51, taking over from pacesetter Brooklynn Drew when she pleased.
"She ran good today. She's been working awesome," Esquivel said. "Last time I told the boss [Morse] that I probably moved a little too soon because you don't feel her. She just travels so nice and easy. She broke a step slow today. As soon as she got into the race, she relaxed. When I asked her, she went on."
Xtreme Diva, the Dixie Belle winner, had no curtain call when fifth, nor did Mac Robertson-trained stablemate Xtreme Smoke Show, a non-threatening third. Blue Squall, as in the Feb. 17 race, completed the exacta, which paid $16.20 for a $1 ticket.