How to bet the 2021 Desi Arnaz Stakes

A compact field of five two-year-old fillies will contest the Saturday feature at Del Mar, the $100,000 Desi Arnaz S. The 6 1/2-furlong dash is led by two from the barn of Bob Baffert, and it’s the less ballyhooed of the duo that I will be on in the heat.

John Magnier, Derrick Smith, and Michael Tabor’s #3 Under the Stars burned a lot of money when she was a fast-closing third over the surface on debut, but she will greatly benefit from the performance and get the job done on Saturday. The well-bred filly will race with blinkers for the first time in her stakes bow, and I expect her to be much closer early with the headgear on.

The half-sister to Bodemeister fired a bullet morning drill in her latest workout, and the fact that she wheels back so quickly after her initial outing tells me that this race may have been the plan all along. Abel Cedillo gets the call atop the February foal who represents some value in the compact group. She will track from second and wear down the leader inside the final furlong.

Baffert’s #5 Eda is the clear one to beat from the outer post slot. A $550,000 juvenile buy, the daughter of Munnings boasts the most experience in the field, she is Grade 2-placed on the oval, and exits a stakes win. In addition to those attributes, the April foal also has the look of controlling speed in a cast with horses that have all run from off the pace to this point. The price will be small with Flavien Prat taking the reins.

The John Shirreffs-conditioned #1 Lady T finished a clear second behind Eda last time out in the Anoakia S. By top sire Into Mischief, the late runner missed by a head bob on debut at Del Mar, and the capable filly comes in with a swift half-mile drill on the oval. Victor Espinoza will pilot the obvious third selection.

Desi Arnaz Wagers

• $30 trifecta 3 with 5 with 1 ($30)
• $10 trifecta 3 with 1 with 5 ($10)