Astronomical 123, under jockey Ruben Lozano, scored his first stakes victory in the $30,000 Town Policy Handicap for 3-year-olds on Saturday at Los Alamitos.

© Amber Mendez

LOS ALAMITOS, CA–NOVEMBER 8, 2025–Astronomical 123, a gelding by the outstanding sire Flying Cowboy 123 and out of the five-times stakes winner Singles Cruise, scored his first stakes victory while also giving Jo Rae Burns her first stakes win as a sole owner after taking the $30,000 Town Policy Handicap for 3-year-olds on Saturday at Los Alamitos.

Burns, who is the wife of AQHA champion breeder Dr. Steve Burns, has celebrated many victories in Grade 1 stakes with her husband, and she's also enjoyed success campaigning horses in partnerships.

Along with Lila Kessinger, Burns was the winning owner of the 2021 Cypress Handicap courtesy of the Seperate Interest horse Stolen Lives. With her brother, trainer Mike Casselman, she raced the Separatist mare Dawn Of A New Day, who ran second at odds of 58-1 to Scoop Of Sunshine in the 2013 Governor's Cup Derby.

Joe Rae Burns has enjoyed victories with many other horses, including the hard-knocking $25,000 earner Good Will Hunting and with the eventual five-time winner SJM Fowler First, but Astronomical 123 is the first stakes winner of her own.

Bred by Barry and Janice Sather and purchased for $122,000 at the 2023 Heritage Place September Yearling Sale, Astronomical 123 has developed into a standout performer.

Lightly raced as a 2-year-old – he won once in four starts – Astronomical 123 has now picked up two wins this year, while also posting a fourth-place finish in the Grade 2 Golden State Derby and a second-place finish to the Grade 1 stakes-placed runner Devils Tower in a trial to the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Super Derby. 

Ridden by Ruben Lozano for trainer Mike Casselman, Astronomical 123 won the Town Policy in wire-to-wire fashion while covering the 400 yards in :19.88. Astronomical 123 finished a head in front of Clareets Boy to pick up his third career win in 10 starts. He earned $16,500 for the win to take his career earnings to $45,799.

Astronomical 123 will make his next start in the trials to the Grade 2 Southern California Derby on Sunday, November 30.

Edward Meltzer Revocable Trust's Flying Cowboy 123 gelding Clareets Boy earned $6,750 for running second. He was also second to Lethal Cowboy 123 in the Sgt Pepper Feature Handicap earlier this year.

Billy Smith, Downtime Enterprises, Paul Blanchard, and Dean Frey's Autamatic was fifth during the early stages of this race but finished nicely to earn third-place money of $3,750. Autamatic is a gelding by Walk Thru Fire.

Cowboy Bolt, Gimy A Reason, Fourstreakingeagle, and Nationalist completed the field.

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