Ask For The Moon Edges Asti at Prix Saint-Alary Wire

Ask For The Moon outlasted Asti by a neck in a blanket finish to the Prix Saint-Alary (Fr-I) for 3-year-old fillies at Longchamp Sunday.

The main prep for the French Oaks (Fr-I), the 1 1/4-mile scramble saw all seven rivals reach the wire less than four lengths apart.

Jean-Pierre Dubois' Ask For The Moon, a 3-5 favorite ridden by Ioritz Mendizabal, came from behind to seize the lead early in the straight, but was soon headed by Asti. Ask For The Moon, a French-bred daughter of Dr. Fong, fought back to regain the advantage 150 yards out and held on. Asti, with Dominique Boeuf aboard, held on for second by a half-length over Agata.

Jean-Claude Rouget trains Ask For The Moon, who is unbeaten in four races this year. She could meet Asti again in next month's Prix-Diane.

"She is a filly with great class and was much better than the others," he said. "She simply doesn't know where the post is. When Ask For The Moon hits the front, she feels that her work is done and that's it."

Mendizabal, who leads the French national jockey race, claimed his first group I win.

Boeuf contended that the Irish-bred Asti would have won the race has she not been hit by across the nose two furlongs from home by the whip of Christophe Soumillon, who was aboard the Dubois-owned Super Lina.

Super Lina finished fourth, with Ometsz (5th), Australie (6th) and Green Swallow (7th) trailing.