Artislas heads group of closers in Lure Stakes

Artislas has gone from a summertime longshot to an October contender in Saturday’s $80,000 Lure Stakes at a mile on turf at Santa Anita.

In two starts in one-mile turf stakes at Del Mar, Artislas was third by 1 1/4 lengths in the restricted Wickerr Stakes on July 19 and sixth by two lengths in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on Aug. 22.

“Those races weren’t all that easy,” trainer Jeff Mullins said.

Artislas lost both starts to the multiple stakes winner King of Gosford, who is not part of the Lure field.

Artislas, a 4-year-old colt who races for a partnership that includes Dutch Girl Holdings and Irving Ventures, is one of four stakes winners in a field of five in the Lure, which is restricted to nonwinners of a stakes worth at least $60,000 at a mile or more, other than statebred stakes, this year.

Artislas, a two-time stakes winner as a 2-year-old in 2024, is winless in three starts this year, beginning with a third-place finish in the Siren Lure Stakes at six furlongs on turf at Santa Anita in May, his first appearance after a nine-month layoff.

“I think it’s taken him a little time to get him in the groove,” Mullins said.

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In the Lure Stakes, Artislas drew post 2 with expected pacesetter Nesso’s Lastharrah to his inside. Artislas will be ridden by Juan Hernandez, who was aboard the colt for four starts in 2025 and earlier this year. Julien Leparoux rode Artislas in the Del Mar Mile.

“We lost Juan in the last race to another horse,” Mullins said. “It’s always nice when you have a guy who knows the horse and you don’t have to give a lot of instructions.”

Artislas typically runs as a closer and will have company in that position from Astronomer, a 7-year-old gelding who is winless in 21 starts; Endlessly, who has not raced since March; and Twirling Point, who was sixth of eight in the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship at 1 1/4 miles on turf on Sept. 26 at Santa Anita.

Astronomer was fifth by 1 3/4 lengths in the Del Mar Mile at 58-1, racing closest to the front at the finish. During his losing streak, Astronomer has been second or third in six stakes.

Nesso’s Lastharrah has yet to win a stakes. He was fifth by 3 1/2 lengths after stalking the pace in the Grade 2 Eddie D Stakes on the hillside turf course on Sept. 26.

Endlessly, a four-time stakes winner in 2023 and 2024, starts from the outside post for trainer Michael McCarthy. A 5-year-old, Endlessly has been beaten in his last nine starts, all graded stakes. He was seventh of nine in the Grade 3 Kentucky Cup Classic at Turfway Park in March and was turned out following that race.

“It seemed like he needed a mental reset,” McCarthy said. “Hopefully, that has done him some good.”

McCarthy described the Lure as “a good place to get him started.”

Endlessly won two stakes at a mile on turf as a 2-year-old in 2023.

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