California's best square off in Grade 1 Starlet

An overdue California showdown – the fastest juvenile filly in the state against the most accomplished – takes place Saturday in the Grade 1 Starlet at Los Alamitos. One could say, it is about time.

Astute and Princess Noor might have met sooner, but a spring setback postponed the debut of highly regarded Astute until fall. She caught up quickly, winning two including a sprint stakes romp with an 88 Beyer, highest by a California 2-year-old filly this season.

Princess Noor encountered no setbacks, nor legitimate early competition. By the time Astute began her career in October, Princess Noor was 3 for 3 including Grade 1 and Grade 2 runaways versus suspect rivals. She finished fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies last out.

Astute and Princess Noor have plenty to prove in the $300,000 Starlet at a mile and a sixteenth. Astute is fast, but has not raced two turns. Princess Noor has won around two turns, but based on figures, she is not particularly fast.

Five entered the Starlet, race 5. Bob Baffert trains Princess Noor in addition to likely pacesetter Kalypso and longshot Varda. Maiden winner Nasreddine, trained by Michael McCarthy, was supplemented for $10,000.

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Richard Mandella trains Astute, whose career is just now getting started.

Astute tipped her hand early, including a sizzling 34.80 gate work back in May. “She showed us all along she’s very good,” Mandella said. “We would have run her in the Del Mar summer meet, except she bled, a significant bleed, out of one of her works.”

X-rays revealed lung inflammation; she was battling an internal ailment. “She got a little sick, so I sent her out and gave her a month off,” Mandella said.

Astute resumed training in August – “no Lasix,” Mandella emphasized. Since then, the filly has not missed a beat. Astute won her debut on turf in October, and though her running line suggests she was slowing down to win by a neck, she was confidently ridden by jockey Mike Smith.

Next out, at 6 1/2 furlongs on dirt, Astute dazzled. She popped the gate Nov. 14 in the Desi Arnaz Stakes, dueled two wide, put away odds-on Private Mission, and ran away by more than seven lengths.

With just three weeks between races, Mandella waited until Astute worked out Nov. 27 before committing to the Starlet. She worked fast, 46 for a half-mile. “It was her choice. We didn’t intend to do that. She just went so good,” Mandella said.

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Mandella expects two turns will be fine. “She’s very tractable, an easy filly to work with,” he said. “She’s had a couple races in her, we don’t see any problem with [two turns].”

Astute is 7-5 second choice by linemaker Ed Burgart; Princess Noor is even money while trying to rebound after finishing fifth as the favorite in the Breeders’ Cup. Baffert and jockey Victor Espinoza hope her first loss was due to discomfort with the Keeneland surface.

“Victor said from the word go she never felt comfortable,” Baffert said. “She was just struggling with the track. You could tell it wasn’t her. Hopefully it’s just a toss. She’s come back and worked well, so we’ll see.”

Princess Noor dominated summer and fall juvenile filly stakes. She won her debut Aug. 22, and only 15 days later crushed the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante by more than six lengths. An eight-length blowout in the Grade 2 Chandelier Stakes, a route race Sept. 26 at Santa Anita, made her 3 for 3.

Despite her lopsided margins, Princess Noor did not run fast. Prior to the Breeders’ Cup, her career-high Beyer was a mere 79. Baffert is aware of the speed-figure skepticism.

“She won those races in hand, so I don’t know,” he said. “I think she’s a good filly.”

Princess Noor wore blinkers in her first four races, and worked in blinkers. She has not worn blinkers in workouts since the Breeders’ Cup, and will not wear them in the Starlet. Princess Noor will try to win rallying from behind. A stablemate may set the table.

The speedy Kalypso has improved with each start, and scored her first win in her third start, gate to wire in the six-furlong Anoakia Stakes on Oct. 18 at Santa Anita. “I think she’ll like two turns,” Baffert said. “And she has speed. I like horses with speed going two turns.”

Abel Cedillo rides Kalypso from the inside post. She is 6-1 on the line. Kalypso will be under pressure from Astute.

Nasreddine broke slowly and finished second in her debut, then jumped up second out with a solid maiden sprint win. Tiago Pereira rides Nasreddine, the longest shot in the program at 15-1. Varda, 8-1, makes her first start since late September when she finished more than eight lengths behind Princess Noor in the Chandelier.