Astute 2-for-2 After Desi Arnaz Stroll

LNJ Foxwoods' Astute, a chestnut 2-year-old filly by sprint champion Speightstown , ran away and hid from five rivals in the $100,500 Desi Arnaz Stakes at Del Mar Nov. 14.

Taking her cues from a pair of Hall of Famers—trainer Richard Mandella and rider Mike Smith—Astute went head-and-head with the odds-on favorite Private Mission through splits of  :22.21 and :45.30 for the first half-mile of the six and one-half furlong dash, shook that one off turning for home, then drew out to a sparkling 7 1/2- length tally. She raced 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:17.28, paying $12.20.  

Finishing second was Saragol Stable Corp and Johana Viana's Queengol, a nose in front of Watson, Pegram, and Weitman's Heels Up. 

Astute was making only the second start of her career and her first in a stakes. She had won a straight maiden race on grass at Santa Anita Park last month in her debut. 

"Wow. That's what I've got to say," said Smith. "I knew she was good; I just didn't know she was this good. She was good on the grass the other day (winning a straight maiden race at five and a half furlongs on the green at Santa Anita on October 12), but she's even better on the dirt." 

Astute was a $425,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale in 2019 by Solis/Litt Bloodstock, a partnership that advises LNJ Foxwoods, the racing stable of Larry, Nanci, and Jaime Roth. Mandella also trains the top grass horse United for the outfit. 

Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, Astute is out of the Langfuhr mare Discerning. The winner is a half sister to Classic Point, who won the Inside Information Stakes (G2) and Go For Wand Handicap (G3) during her racing career.

"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). I only put her in the maiden turf (debut win on October 12 at Santa Anita) because I knew she could do turf and I was afraid a dirt race the next day wouldn't fill. I expected she'd run well today, but maybe not this well."

Mandella said he and the winning connections would "think about" the Starlet (G1), a $300,000 race at 1 1/16 miles at Los Alamitos Race Course Dec. 5. The Starlet is the final major stakes race for 2-year-old dirt fillies in Southern California.

The stakes win was the first of the meet for trainer Mandella and his second in the Desi Arnaz, following Lucky Folie in 2015. He now has 66 stakes wins at Del Mar, sixth-most all-time, according to Del Mar publicity.