Breeders' Cup Distaff | Horse Racing Free Tips

Letruska Wheels Back In Three Weeks For Fleur De Lis

St. George Stable's multiple Grade 1 winner Letruska, widely regarded as the nation's top filly or mare, headlines a compact field of six in Saturday's 46th running of the $300,000 Fleur de Lis (Grade 2) at Churchill Downs.

The Fleur de Lis, at 1 1/8 miles for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up, is carded as Race 5 at 2:45 p.m. (all times Eastern). The first of 12 races will get underway at 12:45 p.m. The Fleur de Lis is one of seven stakes events on Saturday's closing day program at Churchill Downs. The other stakes are the $600,000 Stephen Foster (G2), $300,000 Wise Dan (G2), $150,000 Bashford Manor (G3), $150,000 Debutante (Listed), $150,000 Tepin and $150,000 War Chant.

The Fleur de Lis is a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” race for the $4 million Longines Distaff (G1) on Nov. 6 at Del Mar. The winner will receive an all entry fees paid berth to the season ending championship event.

Trained by Fausto Gutierrez, Letruska scored a front-running victory in the $500,000 Ogden Phipps (G1) earlier this month on the Belmont Stakes undercard. The 5-year-old Super Saver mare has 14 wins from 18 lifetime starts including a victory in the $1 million Apple Blossom (G1) in April where she re-rallied against multiple champion Monomoy Girl.

“She's in a good condition to run,” Gutierrez said. “This is a very important race. We're going step by step for now and this is next race we had in mind. I know it's just 21 days from the (Ogden Phipps). When a horse wants to run and they're ready to run, we have to let them run. She's at Keeneland training and we're looking forward to getting her to Churchill.”

Gutierrez, who was a top trainer in his home country of Mexico, has been primarily training in the U.S. in 2021. Letruska's only blemish in her 5-year-old campaign was a runner-up effort to Shedaresthedevil in the $350,000 Azeri (G2).

Jose Ortiz has the mount in the Fleur de Lis from post position No. 6.

Among Letruska's challengers in the Fleur de Lis is Walking L Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys Farm's Grade 2 winner Envoutante. Trained by Kenny McPeek, Envoutante cruised to a 4 ¼-length victory in last month's $150,000 Shawnee Stakes, the local prep for the Fleur de Lis on May 29.

Envoutante, a 4-year-old filly by Uncle Mo, finished 2 ¼ lengths behind Letruska in the Azeri. Arguably the biggest win in Envoutante's career was a six-length win in last year's $200,000 Falls City (G2) at Churchill Downs.

Her regular pilot Brian Hernandez Jr. will be in the saddle from post 4.

Another top filly that entered the Fleur de Lis is Robert and Lawana Low's $150,000 Allaire DuPont Distaff Match Series (G3) winner Spice Is Nice. The Curlin filly is a four-time winner for trainer Todd Pletcher. The regally-bred Spice Is Nice is out of Pletcher's former Grade 1-winning mare Dame Dorothy. Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez has the mount from post 5.

Also entered in the Fleur de Lis is Kueber Racing, Barlar LLC, Madaket Stables and Little Red Feather Racing's recent $200,000 Ruffian (G2) winner Vault. The Brad Cox trainee will attempt to get her first victory at 1 1/8 miles. The seven-time winning mare be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione from post 3.

The complete field for the Fleur de Lis from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

Point of Honor (Javier Castellano, Shug McGaughey)
Antoinette (Florent Geroux, Bill Mott)
Vault (Gaffalione, Cox)
Envoutante (Hernandez, McPeek)
Spice Is Nice (Velazquez, Pletcher)
Letruska (Ortiz, Gutierrez)

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‘She’s Happy And Jumping’: Gutierrez Plots Course Toward Breeders’ Cup For Letruska

St. George Stable's Letruska registered a career-best 103 Beyer Speed Figure with a powerful front-running 2 3/4-length score in Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 Ogden Phipps, a 1 1/16-mile test for older fillies and mares at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Trained by Fausto Gutierrez and piloted by Jose Ortiz, who picked up the mount from his injured brother Irad Ortiz, Jr., the 5-year-old Super Saver mare made the lead and put away the 2020 Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil, before outkicking Bonny South.

An undefeated champion in Mexico, Letruska captured the Grade 3 Shuvee at Saratoga last summer, and has reached new heights in her last five starts since removing blinkers to win the Grade 3 Rampart in December at Gulfstream Park.

The talented bay followed with a win in the Grade 3 Houston Ladies Classic in January at Sam Houston; a close second to Shedaresthedevil in the Grade 2 Azeri in March at Oaklawn; and bested both the reigning champion Older Female Monomoy Girl and champion 3-Year-Old Filly Swiss Skydiver in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom in April at Oaklawn.

“She has improved her Beyer in her last five races – 95, 97, 99, 102, and now 103. She has quality,” said Gutierrez. “This is the power that she has in the races that she has run. She's won five group [graded] races in the United States and it's not easy.”

Through 19 starts, the win-happy Letruska has posted a record of 14-1-1 with purse earnings in excess of $1.4 million.

Gutierrez said he is impressed with the way Letruska carries herself while racing against the top fillies and mares in the country.

“She's a horse with natural talent,” Gutierrez said. “She has speed to make her different from the others and be very special in top races. She's run with Shedaresthedevil, 'Monomoy,' Swiss Skydiver, and she makes it look easy. She's a natural runner.”

Gutierrez said the year-end goal for Letruska is the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff on November 6 at Del Mar, but how the mare gets to that race remains up in the air with the Grade 1, $500,000 Personal Ensign on August 28 at Saratoga a possibility.

“Saratoga is one of the natural places to go for prestigious races. We had a very nice experience there last year,” said Gutierrez. “At the same time, we need to put the focus on the Breeders' Cup. To be the number one of the division, we have to be careful planning out her races, but Saratoga could be one of the points along the way.”

No matter which route Gutierrez decides, he said Letruska is already champing at the bit for her next challenge.

“She has come out of the race in great form. She's happy and jumping. It's one of her characteristics after she races,” Gutierrez said.

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‘Still Growing’ Malathaat To Bypass Belmont Stakes, Point To CCA Oaks At Saratoga

Shadwell's undefeated multiple Grade 1-winning 3-year-old filly Malathaat, winner of the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) on April 30, will skip the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) on June 5 and point toward Saratoga. The ultimate plan for the Stonestreet-bred, Todd Pletcher-trained divisional leader is the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar, according to Shadwell Farm's Vice President and General Manager Rick Nichols.

“Todd and I have talked and have elected to bypass the Belmont,” Nichols said. “She is a little light right now because she is still growing into the frame that she has. We want to give her a nice break and hopefully put some weight on her.

“We will point her toward the CCA Oaks at Saratoga, which is 12 weeks from the Kentucky Oaks,” he continued. “Then we will aim for the Alabama, which is the main target, four weeks later. Then we will be able to give her a nice 10-week breather and head toward the Breeders' Cup.”

The $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) is scheduled for July 24 over the same nine furlongs of the Kentucky Oaks, while the $600,000 Alabama (G1) is slated for Aug. 21 over 10 furlongs.

The Breeders' Cup World Championships take place on Nov. 5 and 6 at Del Mar. A specific race goal, either the $2 million Longines Distaff (G1) over nine furlongs or $6 million Longines Classic (G1) over 10 furlongs, will be determined at a later date.

In five perfect starts, the sophomore star has amassed $1,125,150 in earnings and four stakes wins, including graded scores in the aforementioned Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, G1 Ashland Stakes at Keeneland and G2 Demoiselle Stakes at Aqueduct. Her '6' on the Ragozin Sheets from the Kentucky Oaks was equal to that of Medina Spirit one day later in the Kentucky Derby (G1).

Bred in Kentucky and a daughter of Stonestreet stars Curlin and Dreaming of Julia, the sizable filly was consigned by Denali Stud and purchased for $1,050,000 at Keeneland's September Sale in 2019, one of the final in-person purchases of her late owner, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum. She is already the third-highest earner for Shadwell's 36-year US-based operation, trailing only Breeders' Cup-winning champions Invasor and Lahudood.

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McPeek Hoping For Repeat Of ‘Magical Season’ With Swiss Skydiver

Swiss Skydiver, Eclipse Award champion three-year-old filly of 2020, makes her four-year-old debut Saturday at Santa Anita in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile

Owned by Peter Callahan and bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, the daughter of Daredevil upset Kentucky Derby winner and Horse of the Year Authentic at 11-1 in last year's Preakness Stakes before an eventful seventh in the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Keeneland last Nov. 7, her most recent race.

“There were limited options where we are,” trainer Ken McPeek said in explaining a coast-to-coast trip from Florida to start her campaign.

“There really wasn't an older filly and mare stake in Florida and I've got my other filly, Envoutante, at Oaklawn (for Saturday's Grade 2 Azeri Stakes). I didn't want to run against each other.”

Envoutante, handy six-length winner of the Grade 2 Falls City at Churchill Downs in her most recent start last Nov. 26, also was nominated to the Beholder. Like Swiss Skydiver in the Beholder, Envoutante (“bewitching” in English) also drew the rail in the Azeri, where she is 5-2 on the morning line vs. four rivals.

“Obviously the Beholder is a great race and I think Swiss Skydiver is capable of running a flat mile,” McPeek said. “She's really sharp now, so that's good, and the timing works out well.”

Robby Albarado, who piloted Swiss Skydiver to her Preakness victory, arrived in California Tuesday to ride the chestnut filly in the Beholder, while McPeek got in town Thursday. Swiss Skydiver arrived Tuesday night.

With an Eclipse Award, two Grade I victories including the Alabama Stakes along with the Preakness, a four-length romp in the Santa Anita Oaks and five graded stakes wins on her resume last year, Swiss Skydiver exceeded McPeek's expectations.

“In her first stakes race last year (fifth in a restricted outing at Tampa Bay Downs Jan. 18) she kind of had a troubled trip (going five-wide and floating out while beaten less than a length at seven furlongs), but since then she rolled on.

“It was unfortunate she stumbled (at the start) in the Breeders' Cup (finishing seventh behind Older Dirt Female champion Monomoy Girl) and cut her leg up pretty good.

“But she bounced back from that. It was a magical season for the most part.

“Hopefully, we can come half that close this year.”

The Beholder, race eight of nine with a 12:30 p.m. first post time: Swiss Skydiver, Robby Albarado, 8-5; Golden Principal, Juan Hernandez, 8-1; Harvest Moon, Flavien Prat, 5-2; Sanenus, Umberto Rispoli, 4-1; Miss Stormy D, Tyler Baze, 20-1; As Time Goes By, Mike Smith, 4-1; This Tea, Abel Cedillo, 30-1; and Clockstrikestwelve, Tiago Pereira, 20-1.

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