Leucothea's the filly to beat in Del Mar's Desi Arnaz Stakes

The Peter Miller-trained Leucothea will likely be heavily favored when she goes to the post in Sunday’s $100,000 Desi Arnaz Stakes at Del Mar.

The 2-year-old daughter of Midshipman enters Sunday’s contest off an 8 ½-length victory in the six-furlong Anoakia Stakes at Santa Anita Oct. 13. Leucothea broke her maiden in her second start, leading gate-to-wire to win by 14 ½ lengths in August at Del Mar. 

From there she made the leap into Grade 1 company, taking on such talented rivals such as Bast and Comical in the Del Mar Debutante. Leucothea didn’t fare so well that day; after vying for the lead through the opening half-mile, she got in tight quarters at the top of the stretch and fell back, eventually finishing last.  

Leucothea’s bad luck continued in her next start, Santa Anita’s Chandelier Stakes (G1), when she stumbled coming out of the starting gate and lost her rider. Leucothea finally was able to show off her talent when taking the Anoakia Stakes in her most recent start.

Leucothea will break from post 4 under regular rider Abel Cedillo. 

Among the competitors Leucothea will face in the Desi Arnaz include Stellar Sound, a daughter of Tapit trained by Bob Baffert. The Don Alberto homebred will be making her third career start, and her firs since August when she finished a well beaten fifth in the Del Mar Debutante. Prior to that, Stellar Sound broke her maiden in her debut, when she posted a half-length victory in a six-furlong maiden special weight.