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Letruska Ascends To The Top Of NTRA Thoroughbred Poll

St. George Stable's 5-year-old mare Letruska has ascended to the No. 1 position in the latest NTRA National Thoroughbred Poll, ending the 14-week reign of Godolphin's 4-year-old Mystic Guide, who was defeated Saturday in Belmont's Grade 2 Suburban.

Letruska, trained by Fausto Gutierrez, has won four of five starts this year. She made a big name for herself when defeating last year's older dirt female champion Monomoy Girl in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park in April, and then swept the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps at Belmont Park on June 5 and the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis at Churchill Downs by 5 ¾ lengths on June 26. A bay daughter of 2010 Grade 1 Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver, Letruska has 11 first-place votes and 302 points, moving up from second place last week.

Godolphin's 4-year-old Maxfied is now in second place with six first-place votes and 266 points. Trained by Brendan Walsh, Maxfield dominated the June 26 Grade 2 Stephen Foster Stakes at Churchill Downs with a powerful 3 ¼-length win to improve his overall record to seven wins in eight starts.

Fellow Godolphin runner Mystic Guide lost a hard-fought battle to Max Player by a neck in the Suburban over a sloppy track in his first start since winning the Dubai World Cup on March 27. Trained by Mike Stidham, Mystic Guide received nine first-place votes and 260 points while falling to third place in this week's poll.

Klaravich Stables' 4-year-old gelding Domestic Spending, the only turf horse in the top 10, rose from fifth to fourth place this week with seven first-place votes and 224 points. Trained by Chad Brown, Domestic Spending won the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Manhattan Stakes at Belmont on June 5.

Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing's 4-year-old Silver State, unbeaten in four starts this year, dropped from fourth to fifth place. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Silver State, winner of the Grade 1 Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont on June 5, has one first-place vote and 222 points.

Godolphin's third star in the top 10 is the 3-year-old Essential Quality, winner of the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets. Trained by Brad Cox, Essential Quality is in sixth place with two first-place votes and 197 points.

Korea Racing Authority's Knicks Go, also trained by Cox, turned in one of the top performances of the year last Friday evening when he won the Grade 3, 1 1/8-mile Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap by 10 ¼ lengths. Winner of the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park in January, Knicks Go (129 points) rose from ninth to seventh place.

The 4-year-old Gamine (83 points), last year's champion female sprinter, was another sparkling winner over the holiday weekend. Owned by Michael Lund Petersen and trained by Bob Baffert, Gamine captured Monday's Grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes at Los Alamitos by 10 lengths, improving her record to three for three this year, and remaining in eighth place in the poll.

George E. Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds Corp's Max Player rose from 23rd to No. 9 following his determined win in the Suburban at 11-1. Trained by Asmussen, the 4-year-old Max Player (69 points) won his first race of the year in three starts.

Spendthrift Farm LLC and Madaket Stables' 6-year-old Monomoy Girl rounds out the top 10 with 58 points. A two-time winner of the Grade 1 Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff, Monomoy Girl, also trained by Cox, won this year's Grade 3 Bayakoa Stakes at Oaklawn.

The NTRA Top Thoroughbred polls are the sport's most comprehensive surveys of experts. Every week eligible journalists and broadcasters cast votes for their top 10 horses, with points awarded on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. All horses that have raced in the U.S., are in training in the U.S., or are known to be pointing to a major event in the U.S. are eligible for the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll. Voting in the Top Thoroughbred Poll is scheduled to be conducted through Nov. 6.

The full results for the NTRA Thoroughbred Polls can be found on the NTRA website at: https://www.ntra.com/ntra-top-thoroughbred-poll-july-6-2021/

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Letruska, Maxfield Move Up In NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll

Godolphin's 4-year-old Mystic Guide remained in first place in the latest NTRA National Thoroughbred Poll, but St. George Stable's 5-year-old mare Letruska and Godolphin's 4-year-old Maxfield, moved up to second and third place, respectively, following dominating victories at Churchill Downs on Saturday.

Mystic Guide, trained by Mike Stidham, received 21 first-place votes and 313 points. On Saturday, Mystic Guide breezed 4 furlongs in 48.2 at Fair Hill in Maryland in preparation for the Grade 2 Suburban Stakes at Belmont Park on July 3. A chestnut son of 2004 Horse of the Year Ghostzapper, Mystic Guide will be making his first start since winning the Group 1 Dubai World Cup on March 27.

Letruska, trained by Fausto Gutierrez, won Saturday's Grade 2 Fleur de Lis by 5 ¾ lengths for her fourth win in five starts in 2021. A bay daughter of 2010 Grade 1 Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver, Letruska has two first-place votes and 268 points, moving from third to second place this week.

Equally impressive on Saturday was Maxfield, who swept to a powerful 3 ¼-length victory in the Grade 2 Stephen Foster Stakes. A dark bay son of 2007 Grade 1 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, Maxfield jumped from seventh to third place in the poll. Trained by Brandan Walsh, Maxfield increased his first-place votes from one to five this week, and has a total of 253 points.

Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing's 4-year-old Silver State dropped from second to fourth place, registering one first-place vote and 229 points. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Silver State is unbeaten in four starts this year, including the Grade 1 Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont.

Klaravich Stables' 4-year-old gelding Domestic Spending, the only turf horse in the top 10, is in fifth place with six first-place votes and 219 points. Trained by Chad Brown, Domestic spending won the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Manhattan Stakes at Belmont on June 5.

Godolphin's 3-year-old Essential Quality, winner of the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, is in sixth place. Trained by Brad Cox, Essential Quality has one first-place vote and 185 points.

Spendthrift Farm LLC and Madaket Stables' 6-year-old Monomoy Girl, the 2020 older dirt female Eclipse Award winner, rose from ninth to seventh place, and has 87 points.

The 4-year-old Gamine (109 points), last year's champion female sprinter, trained by Bob Baffert, stayed in eighth place.

Korea Racing Stable's Knicks Go (37 points), winner of the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational, moved up one spot to ninth place.

SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Frederick Hertrich III, John Fielding and Golconda Stables' 4-year-old Charlatan (135 points), who finished second in the Group 1 Saudi Cup for Bob Baffert, is in 10th place and received 32 votes. Charlatan has subsequently been retired.

The full results for the NTRA Thoroughbred Polls can be found on the NTRA website at: https://www.ntra.com/ntra-top-thoroughbred-poll-june-28-2021/

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Prepping For July 3 Suburban, Mystic Guide Retains Top Spot In NTRA Poll

Godolphin's 4-year-old Mystic Guide, approaching his first start since winning the Group 1 Dubai World Cup on March 27, retained the No. 1 ranking in the latest NTRA National Thoroughbred Poll with no changes in the top 10 from last week. Mystic Guide, a 4-year-old son of Ghostzapper, trained by Mike Stidham, received 25 first-place votes and 313 points. On Saturday, Mystic Guide breezed 6 furlongs in 1:13.20 at Fair Hill in Maryland in preparation for an expected return in Belmont Park's Grade 2 Suburban on July 3.

Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing's 4-year-old Silver State is in second place. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Silver State has won all four of his starts this year, including the June 5 Grade 1 Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont. Silver State has one first-place vote and 241 points.

St. George Stable's 5-year-old mare Letruska is one of three females in the top 10. Trained by Fausto Gutierrez, Letruska, winner of Belmont's Grade 1 Ogden Phipps, picked up one first-place vote this week and has a total of 231 points. A daughter of Super Saver, Letruska is slated to start in Saturday's Grade 2 Fleur de Lis at Churchill Downs, a “Win and You're In” for the Grade 1 Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff.

Klaravich Stables' 4-year-old gelding Domestic Spending, trained by Chad Brown, is in fourth place. A bay son of Kingman (GB), Domestic Spending, who won the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Manhattan Stakes at Belmont, has five first-place votes and 217 points.

Godolphin's 3-year-old Essential Quality, winner of the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, is in fifth place. Trained by Brad Cox, Essential Quality has two first-place votes and 189 points.

The 4-year-old Maxfield, trained by Brendan Walsh, is in seventh place with one first-place vote and 132 points. Owned by Godolphin, Maxfield is expected to start in Saturday's Grade 2 Stephen Foster at Churchill, which is a “Win and You're In” for the Grade 1 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic. A dark bay son of Street Sense, Maxfield, who breezed 4 furlongs in 48.80 on Saturday at Churchill, won the Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes presented by Sentient Jet at Churchill on April 30.

The 4-year-old Gamine (109 points), last year's champion female sprinter, also trained by Baffert, is in eighth place. My Racehorse, Spendthrift Farm LLC and Madaket Stables' 6-year-old Monomoy Girl, the 2020 older dirt female Eclipse Award winner, is in ninth place with 96 points.

Korea Racing Stable's Knicks Go (34 points), winner of the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational, remains in 10th place.

The full results for the NTRA Thoroughbred Polls can be found on the NTRA website at: https://www.ntra.com/ntra-top-thoroughbred-poll-june-21-2021/

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Brown Plans Next Starts For Domestic Spending, Devamani

Klaravich Stables' Domestic Spending, winner of the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Manhattan last out, was one of multiple horses to breeze over the inner turf at Belmont Park in Elmont, Ny. for trainer Chad Brown on Sunday morning.

The 4-year-old son of Kingman went a half-mile in company with multiple graded stakes-placed Rockemperor, completing his four-furlong move in :49.75 over the firm turf.

“He worked in company with Rockemperor just stretching his legs,” Brown said. “He went an easy half-mile and I just wanted to get him out there and assess him. It was a very routine work. He looks super.”

Prior to capturing the Manhattan over good turf on June 5, Domestic Spending dead-heated for victory with Colonel Liam in the Grade 1 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic on May 1 at Churchill Downs.

In the Manhattan, Domestic Spending was 11 lengths back on the backstretch before displaying a devastating turn-of-foot to gun down graded stakes-winning stablemate Tribhuvan, winning by 2 3/4-lengths.

Brown said Domestic Spending remains on target for the Grade 1, $600,000 Mister D Stakes, formerly known as the Arlington Million, on August 14 at Arlington Park.

Also on the work tab was Master Piece, who finished a late-closing sixth in the Manhattan and went a half-mile in :48.62.

“He's looking for firm ground. I'm thinking about running him in the [$500,000 Grade 1] United Nations [on July 17 at Monmouth Park].”

Brown said he will be hoping for a better performance next out from Juddmonte's Pocket Square, who finished fifth as the beaten favorite in the Grade 1 Longines Just a Game Stakes on June 5.

The daughter of Night of Thunder blitzed through a half-mile with a bullet work in :48.05 – the fastest of 18 recorded works at the distance. She will be pointed for the $500,000 Grade 1 Diana Stakes on July 17 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, Ny.

“Going into the Just a Game, she missed her final work with the rainstorms. I wasn't able to get a few horses there that weekend,” Brown said. “In hindsight, it really affected her. She was flat in her race, and I think it was because of missing a work. I'm inclined to draw a line through that race and point her to the Diana.”

Brown would be targeting a sixth straight Diana victory having won the past five with Dacita [2016], Lady Eli [2017], Sistercharlie [2018-19], and Rushing Fall [2020].

Michael Dubb, Sandford Goldfarb, and Samuel Abraham's Devamani logged his first work since capturing the Grade 3 Monmouth Stakes on June 5, traveling a half-mile in :48.75. He made his 2021 debut off nearly seven month's rest, running fourth in the Grade 2 Fort Marcy Stakes on May 1 at Belmont Park.

Brown said the $100,000 Oceanport Stakes on August 8 at Monmouth Park is among a number of potential targets.

“He's the kind of horse who benefits from a race to kind of get in form,” said Brown. “He looks fine. Not exactly sure what we're going to do with him next. Going back to Monmouth for the Oceanport is one idea. We'll also look at some other spots.”

Brown said undefeated Chilean-bred Breakpoint is nearing a North American debut. The son of Constitution is a two-time Group 1 winner in his native country and worked five furlongs in 1:00.60.

“He's getting close to his first start,” Brown said. “We're looking for a spot with him. He's very close to getting started. He seems like a steady horse in his works.”

Bradley Thoroughbreds, Iris Smith Stables, and Rigney Racing's Minaun, an allowance winner going six furlongs on April 30, went five furlongs in 1:00.90 in preparation for the $100,000 Wild Applause on June 26 at Belmont Park.

The bay sophomore daughter of Zoffany won the Group 3 Marble Hill Stakes last July in her native Ireland in her start prior to her first North American engagement.

“Her form looks good. She shouldn't have any trouble with the mile. She wouldn't mind some cut in the ground,” Brown said.

Brown noted that Mike Ryan, Jeff Drown, and Team Hanley's Higher Truth will target the Grade 1, $700,000 Belmont Oaks Invitational, first leg of the Turf Triple series for sophomore fillies, on July 10.

The bay Galileo filly broke her maiden at 1 ¼ miles on April 22 over the inner turf, defeating next-out winner Community Adjusted, and then defeated winners at the same distance on June 10.

“She's got a pair of mile-and-a-quarter wins,” Brown said. “She doesn't have any stakes credentials so she's going to have to get into the field. If she does, I think she fits with those horses.”

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