Astute debuted Oct. 12 on the Santa Anita lawn, going 5 1/2 furlongs and getting a neck win after leading throughout. The $425,000 Keeneland September yearling graduate skipped a few conditions to move straight to black-type company in the Desi Arnaz S. In addition to the jump in company, she was also switching over to the main track and upping the distance by a furlong.
Just like in her maiden, Astute went to the front, but this time she got headed by Private Mission (Into Mischief) to her inside after a :22.21 quarter and the foe had a head on her as the battle unfolded through the half in :45.30. Astute won the war, shaking clear with ease coming off the turn and simply drawing away, taking command with authority to win by 7 1/2 lengths.
“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,” said Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella. “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] 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. We’ll think about the [GI] Starlet [S., Dec. 5 at Los Alamitos].”
Astute is the second black-type winner for her dam following 2015 GII Inside Information S. and 2014 GIII Go For Wand H. victress Classic Point. Discerning died in 2019, as did her Flatter foal that year. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Saturday, Del Mar
DESI ARNAZ S., $100,500, Del Mar, 11-14, 2yo, f, 6 1/2f, 1:17.28, ft.
1–ASTUTE, 120, f, 2, by Speightstown
1st Dam: Discerning, by Langfuhr
2nd Dam: Clandestinely, by Forty Niner
3rd Dam: Personal Business, by Private Account
($425,000 Ylg ’19 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-LNJ
Foxwoods; B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-Richard E. Mandella;
J-Mike E. Smith. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $93,000.
*1/2 to Classic Point (Flatter), MGSW, $685,794.
2–Queengol, 120, f, 2, Flashback–Nechez Dawn, by Indian
Charlie. ($22,000 Wlg ’18 KEENOV; $90,000 2yo ’20 OBSMAR).
O-Saragol Stable Corp. & Johana Viana; B-John R. Penn (KY);
T-John W. Sadler. $20,000.
3–Heels Up, 120, f, 2, Twirling Candy–Tale Untold, by Tale of
the Cat. ($17,000 RNA Wlg ’18 KEENOV; $65,000 Ylg ’19
KEESEP; $350,000 2yo ’20 OBSAPR). O-Karl Watson, Michael E.
Pegram, & Paul Weitman; B-Two Stamps Stables (KY); T-Bob
Baffert. $12,000.
Margins: 7HF, NO, HF. Odds: 5.10, 5.70, 10.40.
Also Ran: Private Mission, Canoodling, Miss Costa Rica. Scratched: Plum Sexy, Varda.
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