Astute has look of budding star in Desi Arnaz romp
LNJ Foxwoods and Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella have themselves a budding star on their hands in 2-year-old filly Astute.
Under Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, the daughter of Speightstown on Saturday attended the pace with odds-on favorite Private Mission from the Bob Baffert barn and drew off in the stretch to score a powerhouse victory in the $100,000 Desi Arnaz Stakes at Del Mar.
Astute — who was exiting a debut win on turf against Santa Anita maidens on Oct. 12 — was sent off the 5-1 second-choice in a field reduced to six after Baffert scratched Varda and Plum Sexy was withdrawn by Doug O'Neill. Astute won the break and was quickly joined along the inside by Private Mission down the backstretch as those two fillies ushered the field through opening fractions of 22.21 an 45.30 for the 6 1/2-furlong trip.
Astute poked a head in front of Private Mission on the turn and once reaching the top of the stretch, it quickly turned into a one-horse race. Astute — a $350,000 auction purchase earlier this year — was set down for the drive and quickly accelerated to win going away by 7 1/2 lengths. Private Mission, who entered a debut win against maidens at Santa Anita on Oct. 18, faded to fourth after being caught by both runner-up Queengol and stablemate Heels Up for third.
Returning $12.20 to her backers, Astute completed the trip on a fast track in 1:17.28.
“Wow, that’s what I’ve got to say," Smith said after the win. "I knew she was good; I just didn’t know she was this good. She was good on the grass the other day...but she’s even better on the dirt.”
In last month's unveiling on turf, Astute cleared the field out of the gate and held on late to win by a half-length in gate-to-wire fashion. She will now likely be pointed to the Grade 1, $300,000 Starlet Stakes at Los Alamitos on Dec. 5 where Baffert's Princess Noor awaits.
“The owners and the manager — Alex Solis, Jr. — told me before I ever saw her that she’s special and it’s kind of held true," Mandella said. "She got a little sick on me in the summer and I had to give her a month off, so that’s why she’s a little late (starting her career)."
Out of the Langfuhr mare Discerning, Astute is a half sister to Classic Point, a multiple graded stakes winner routing on dirt
"I only put her in the maiden turf because I knew she could do turf and I was afraid a dirt race the next day wouldn’t fill," Mandella continued. "I expected she’d run well today, but maybe not this well. We’ll think about the Starlet.”