Churchill Downs | Horse Racing Free Tips

Unified Filly All Business in Debutante

Behave Virginia (Unified), the first winner for Unified when dueling free and airing on debut beneath the Twin Spires May 28, became her freshman sire's first stakes winner in Saturday's $150,000 Debutante S. at Churchill Downs. The 4-1 chance bobbled slightly at the start and sat behind the leaders in an inside fourth. She split horses as they turned for home and ran to the money to stay perfect. The winner's dam, a $25,000 purchase by Arif Kurtel at the 2019 KEENOV Sale, had a colt by Tamarkuz in 2020.

DEBUTANTE S., $150,000, Churchill Downs, 6-26, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:09.83, ft.
1–BEHAVE VIRGINIA, 120, f, 2, by Unified
                1st Dam: She's Behaving, by Mineshaft
                2nd Dam: Behaving, by Rubiano
                3rd Dam: Haveaheavenlytime, by Halo
($30,000 Wlg '19 KEENOV; $115,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP).
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Lucky Seven Stable (Mackin); B-Khalid
Mishref Alkahtani (KY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek; J-Brian Joseph
Hernandez, Jr. $90,210. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $147,698.
*First stakes winner for freshman sire (by Candy Ride {Arg}).
2–Ontheonesandtwos, 120, f, 2, Jimmy Creed–Cue the Moon,
by Malibu Moon. ($37,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Deuce
Greathouse, Cindy M. Hutson & Madaket Stables LLC;
B-Spendthrift Farm LLC (KY); T-Norm W. Casse. $29,100.
3–Wicked Halo, 120, f, 2, Gun Runner–Just Wicked, by Tapit.
O/B-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC LLC (KY); T-Steven M.
Asmussen. $14,550.
Margins: 1, HF, 12 1/4. Odds: 4.10, 1.40, 2.80.
Also Ran: Tizplenty, Classiness, Catchusifyoucan, Compressed Energy, Mollie Kate. Scratched: Cartel Queen, Mi Estrella. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Lestruska Has No Trouble With Antoinette, Envoutante In Fleur De Lis Stakes

Three weeks ago, Letruska was at Belmont Park in Elmont, Ny., dominant in her two and three-quarter length victory in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Stakes. Saturday, she put in another sensational performance in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis Stakes at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., taking the lead at the break, setting the pace, and showing why she is the current leader in her division.

At the start, Letruska veered slightly to the right, straightened out, and quickly took a two-length lead over Antoinette, with Shawnee Stakes winner Envoutante and Brad Cox-trained Vault behind them. She controlled the pace throughout the race, despite Florent Geroux keeping Antoinette just behind a length off of Letruska, first on the rail and then moving his filly to the outside of the leader as they approached the final turn. Jose Ortiz and Letruska, though, had nothing to fear from this field of five others. Into the stretch, as the field put in their final runs, the 5-year-old started to pull away more, increasing her advantage to six lengths as she changed leads about a furlong from the finish line. Behind her, Envoutante moved ahead of Antoinette for a beat, but Geroux was able to rally the Godolphin-owned filly back into second. Under the wire, Letruska was five and three-quarters lengths in front, with Antoinette, Envoutante, Point of Honor, Spice Is Nice, and Vault finishing out the field.

After outdueling Monomoy Girl in April's Apple Blossom Stakes at Oaklawn Park and then putting on a show in the Ogden Phipps, Letruska quickly established herself as the best older filly or mare in the country, with her trainer Fausto Gutierrez setting their sights on the Breeders' Cup Distaff to cap off what so far has been a stellar 2021. This win in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis might be a short turnaround for the daughter of Super Saver, but she had no trouble with the nine furlongs, putting on a show for the closing day crowd at Churchill Downs. The victory is also Letruska's second Win and You're In race, her spot in the Breeders' Cup Distaff starting gate at Del Mar on Nov. 6 guaranteed.

Letruska paid $3.40, $2.80, and $2.10. Antoinette paid $10.60 and $4.40. Envoutante paid $2.40 to show.

The time for the mile and an eighth on a fast Churchill Downs was 1:48.57. This win in the G2 Fleur de Lis is Letruska's fourth win in five starts in 2021. Bred and owned by St. George Stables, the 5-year-old Letruska is by 2010 Grade 1 Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver out of Magic Appeal (Successful Appeal). She has 15 wins in 20 lifetime starts, with total career earnings of $1,305,450.

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Letruksa Runs ‘Em Off Their Feet in Fleur de Lis

Entering this test on the back of a pair of Grade I wins, Letruska (Super Saver) was installed as the overwhelming favorite at 4-5 and more than justified those odds, running an overmatched field off their feet in Churchill's GII Fleur de Lis S. This event was a “Win and You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff in November at Del Mar.

Veering right a bit exiting her outside post, Letruska went straight to the front under Jose Ortiz and clocked opening splits of :24.533 and :48.19 with Antoinette (Hard Spun) prompting from second. Still under a hand ride from Ortiz turning for home, the bay opened up with ease in the lane to win for fun. Antoinette held second and Envoutante (Uncle Mo) completed the trifecta.

“She's a spectacular horse,” said trainer Fausto Gutierrez. “I don't really like to say what's next but she was great today. We know she's a really nice dirt horse and is supposed to win at different racetracks and different conditions for a possible Horse of the Year campaign.”

“There was a little question mark coming into this race off three weeks rest but I knew Fausto is a great trainer and he'd have her ready,” Ortiz said. “She is a really nice mare and she was ready today. She got to the front pretty easy and she was comfortable the entire way around there.”

Undefeated in her native Mexico, Letruska captured her U.S. debut in the Copa Invitacional Del Caribe S. in December of 2019. Her first American graded victory came in Saratoga's GIII Shuvee S. last August, but faded to fourth after setting the pace next out in Belmont's GII Beldame Invitational S. in October. Romping in Gulfstream's GIII Rampart S. Dec. 12, the bay captured the GIII Houston Ladies Classic Jan. 31 and missed by a head to MGISW Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) in Oaklawn's GII Azeri S. Mar. 13. She faced even stiffer competition next out in the GI Apple Blossom H. Apr. 17 in champions Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) and Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil). Letruska showed she was more than up for the challenge, denying two-time Eclipse winner Monomoy Girl by a nose with Swiss Skydiver in third. The 5-year-old followed suit with a decisive wire-to-wire score in Belmont's GI Ogden Phipps S. June 5 stamping herself as the clear divisional leader.

Pedigree Notes:

Letruska is one of five Grade I winners, 13 graded scorers and 29 black-type victors by Super Saver. Her GSP dam Magic Appeal is a full-sister to Grade I winner J P's Gusto. The 14-year-old mare's recent produce includes a juvenile colt named Ocotzingo (Hard Spun); a yearling colt by the late Arrogate; and a filly by the recently deceased Malibu Moon, born May 5. This is also the family of Eclipse winner Proud Spell (Proud Citizen) and Canadian champion Miss Mischief (Into Mischief).

Saturday, Churchill Downs
FLEUR DE LIS S.-GII, $300,000, Churchill Downs, 6-26, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/8m, 1:48.57, ft.
1–LETRUSKA, 124, m, 5, by Super Saver
1st Dam: Magic Appeal (GSP), by Successful Appeal
2nd Dam: Call Her Magic, by Caller I. D.
3rd Dam: Malibu Magic, by Encino
O/B-St. George Stable LLC (KY); T-Fausto Gutierrez; J-Jose L.
Ortiz. $184,140. Lifetime Record: 20-15-1-1, $1,616,459.
*1/2 to Trigger Warning (Candy Ride (ARG)), MSW & GISP,
$555,378. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Werk Nick Rating: A.
2–Antoinette, 119, f, 4, Hard Spun–Shuruq, by Elusive Quality.
O/B-Godolphin, LLC (KY); T-William I. Mott. $59,400.
3–Envoutante, 119, f, 4, Uncle Mo–Enchante, by Bluegrass Cat.
($250,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP). O-Walking L Thoroughbreds, LLC
and Three Chimneys Farm; B-Jumping Jack Racing LLC (KY);
T-Kenneth G. McPeek. $29,700.
Margins: 5 3/4, 3/4, 2HF. Odds: 0.70, 22.30, 2.30.
Also Ran: Point of Honor, Spice Is Nice, Vault. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Gaffalione Secures Fourth Straight Churchill Riding Title

With one day of racing remaining at the spring meet, jockey Tyler Gaffalione secured his fourth-straight title at Churchill Downs and fifth overall. Through 37 days of racing, the 26-year-old recorded 47 wins from 215 starters. He led second-place Ricardo Santana, Jr. by 17 wins at the end of Friday's card.

“We've been extremely fortunate to ride some top-class horses this meet,” Gaffalione said. “It's been a wild meet overall but very successful. I'm very grateful to everyone who helped me get to this point.”

Following Saturday's closing day card, Gaffalione plans to take some time off in Florida before heading to Saratoga for that meet which begins July 15.

Leading trainer and owner were decided during Saturday's closing card with Brad Cox taking home the training title and Juddmonte and Three Diamonds Farm tying for the owner title.

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