BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Wallace R. Moore Jr.’s Ashima had trouble before the start of $150,000 Tiara then endured problems at several stages throughout but was undeterred in winning the mile-and-one-sixteenth turf contest by three-quarters of a length at Churchill Downs Saturday. Trained by Salvatore Santoro and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Florida-bred Ashima was the best of a dozen fillies and mares, 3-years-old and older who had started for a claiming price of $25,000 or less in 2024-’25.
The Tiara was one of eight Claiming Crown races with starter allowance conditions worth $1.1 million. This is the 27th running of the Claiming Crown, deemed the claiming horse owner’s Breeders’ Cup, and was created from a partnership between the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protection Associaton and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.
Situated in post seven and ready for the start of the Tiara, Ashima broke through the starting gate before the race began. However, the assistant starter was able to keep the 4-year-old filly in the stall while another assistant starter came to re-set her gate.
Usually quick from the beginning and on or close to the pace, Ashima was shuffled back to mid-pack shortly early and was seventh, about four lengths behind early leader Getaway Palace heading into the clubhouse turn. Ortiz sent Ashima through traffic and past horses in the far turn but lacked room at the top of the stretch as Goats On a Tree took over from Getaway Palace.
Ortiz tried an inside path then steered Ashima to the outside of Goats On a Tree a furlong out before Ashima finally found clear running and shot to the front inside the sixteenth pole. Ashima finished in 1:43.08 with Settling Storm making a late run to get second. Goats On a Tree was another half-length farther back in third. Nerazurri, Florida-breds Our Liberty Belle and Seat At the Table, Cairo Street, Morning Miracle, Windy Walk, Vinos Angel, Getaway Palace and Story Hour completed the order of finish.
Ask Amanda, Differently, Lady Outofthe Blue and Show Off were scratched.
Ashima paid $6.78 to win as the 2-1 favorite.
It was the fifth win in eight starts this year for Ashima, who started 2025 winning the $75,000 Sunshine Filly and Mare Turf at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 11. That was her fourth win in a six-race winning streak at Gulfstream that dated back to a four-length victory against $8,000 claiming fillies going a mile-and-sixteenth on the synthetic course on Oct. 20. In her next race on Nov. 17, Santoro and Moore claimed Ashima for $8,000 out of a four-and-a-half-length victory going a mile-and-70-yards on the synthetic course then won a first level, $20,000 optional claiming on Dec. 12. She finished her streak winning a first level, $25,000 optional claiming going a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the grass on May 17.
In four races since, she won a $20,000 optional claiming, $12,000 starter allowance on the synthetic on July 18 plus two seconds and a third.
Ashima has now won half of her 20 career starts with three seconds and three thirds. She earned $86,490 for winning the Tiara, increasing her lifetime bankroll to $345,660.
Bred in Florida by Cat Racing Stable, Ashima is by The Big Beast out of the Colonel John mare Nurse John.
Return to the November 15 issue of Wire to Wire
