Fausto Gutierrez | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘We’re Coming With A Beast’: McPeek Says Swiss Skydiver Ready To Take On Monomoy Girl In Apple Blossom

Shortly after weights were released early Saturday afternoon, trainer Kenny McPeek said champion Swiss Skydiver “absolutely” would return to Oaklawn in Hot Springs, Ark., for a showdown with champion Monomoy Girl in the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) for older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles April 17.

“We're coming with a beast,” McPeek said.

Post positions for the Apple Blossom and the $1 million Oaklawn Handicap (G1) for older horses April 17 will be drawn Tuesday. Monomoy Girl was assigned top weight of 124 pounds for the Apple Blossom, 2 pounds more than Swiss Skydiver.

In her first start against older horses, notably Monomoy Girl, Swiss Skydiver finished seventh in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) Nov. 7 at Keeneland after stumbling at the start of the 1 1/8-mile race. The Distaff was a weight-for-age race, with Monomoy Girl carrying equal top weight of 124 pounds. Swiss Skydiver carried 121.

“Fair enough,” McPeek said, referring to the Apple Blossom weights. “After this race, we'll have to give her weight then.”

Swiss Skydiver earned an Eclipse Award as the country's champion 3-year-old filly of 2020 following a coast-to-coast campaign that saw the daughter of Daredevil capture 5 of 10 starts, including the $400,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn, $200,000 Santa Anita Oaks (G2) at Santa Anita, $200,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) at Gulfstream Park and the $500,000 Alabama Stakes (G1) at Saratoga. Swiss Skydiver also toppled males, including future Horse of the Year Authentic, in the Preakness – the third leg of the revamped 2020 Triple Crown – Oct. 3 at Pimlico under two-time Oaklawn riding champion Robby Albarado.

Swiss Skydiver launched her 2021 campaign with a sharp 2 ¾-length victory under Albarado in the $300,000 Beholder Mile (G1) March 13 at Santa Anita.

McPeek said Swiss Skydiver will be vanned from Churchill Downs, where she worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 Saturday morning over a fast track, “probably” arriving Tuesday night “as long as the weather's clear when she can travel.”

“Robby Albarado's coming down to get on her every day,” McPeek said. “My regular team will be with her.”

Two-time Eclipse Award winner Monomoy Girl completed major preparations for the Apple Blossom with a half-mile work in company just after the track opened Sunday morning at Oaklawn for trainer Brad Cox.

Monomoy Girl had been scheduled to breeze Saturday morning, but the work was postponed because of an off track. Working over a fast track under regular rider Florent Geroux, Monomoy Girl went in :47.60 and galloped out five furlongs in :59.60 and six furlongs in 1:12.80, according to clockers. Monomoy Girl (on the outside) worked with stablemate Owendale, a millionaire graded stakes-winning male who is scheduled to run in the Oaklawn Handicap. Monomoy Girl started about a length behind Owendale and finished about a length ahead.

“Just great, as usual,” Geroux said. “Just maintenance – nice and easy – and finished up very strong. Seemed like the track was a little quick this morning. She handled it perfectly. Very pleased with her and just can't wait for next Saturday.”

Monomoy Girl will be making her first start since winning the $250,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) Feb. 28 at Oaklawn in her 2021 debut. She was the county's champion 3-year-old filly of 2018 and champion older dirt female last year. Overall, Monomoy Girl has won 14 of 16 lifetime starts.

Multiple graded stakes winner Letruska, also ticketed for the Apple Blossom, worked just before the first surface renovation break Sunday morning at Oaklawn for trainer Fausto Gutierrez.

The speed Letruska recorded a half-mile bullet (:47.20) and galloped five furlongs in :59.40, according to clockers, with a last quarter-mile in :23.

“I was looking for an easy work,” Gutierrez said. “When I checked the time, I think she went fast. She's got a lot of speed. I think it's OK and she's in good form.”

Gutierrez said three-time reigning Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. would have the mount in the Apple Blossom. Letruska (118 pounds) was the only other probable listed by the Oaklawn racing department Sunday morning. Letruska (12 for 17 overall) finished second, beaten a head by Shedaresthedevil, in the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) March 13 at Oaklawn. Shedaresthedevil captured Oaklawn's $300,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) and the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) last year for Cox and co-owner Staton Flurry of Hot Springs. Swiss Skydiver was second in the Kentucky Oaks, the nation's biggest race for 3-year-old fillies.

The Oaklawn racing department listed nine probables Sunday morning for the Oaklawn Handicap – Express Train (122 pounds), Fearless (119), Owendale (119), Enforceable (118), Silver State (118), Warrior's Charge (118), Rated R Superstar (116), Silver Prospector (116) and Guest Suite (115).

Express Train finished second, beaten a half-length, in the $400,000 Santa Anita Handicap (G1) March 6 at Santa Anita for trainer John Shirreffs, who won the Apple Blossom twice (2008 and 2010) with future Hall of Famer Zenyatta.

Silver State has won four consecutive starts for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, including Oaklawn's $150,000 Fifth Season Stakes Jan. 23 and $500,000 Essex Handicap March 13.

The post ‘We’re Coming With A Beast’: McPeek Says Swiss Skydiver Ready To Take On Monomoy Girl In Apple Blossom appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Kentucky Oaks Winner Shedaresthedevil Kicks Off 4-Year-Old Campaign In Oaklawn’s Azeri

Shedaresthedevil, a finalist for an Eclipse Award as the country's champion 3-year-old filly of 2020, will make her seasonal debut in the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) for older fillies and mares Saturday at Oaklawn.

Probable post time for the Azeri, which goes as the fifth of 12 races, is 2:03 p.m. (Central). The 1 1/16-mile Azeri is the final major local prep for the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) April 17.

Shedaresthedevil will be making her first start since finishing third in her first race against older horses, the $400,000 Spinster Stakes (G1) Oct. 4 at Keeneland. Shedaresthedevil had won her previous three starts, including the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) Sept. 4 at Churchill Downs. The Kentucky Oaks, which was moved from the spring to the fall last year because of COVID-19, is the nation's biggest race for 3-year-old fillies.

Trained by Brad Cox, Shedaresthedevil returned to the work tab Feb. 1 at Oaklawn, then shipped to Fair Grounds because of anticipated winter weather. The daughter of Daredevil recorded four works at Fair Grounds, the last a 5-furlong move in 1:00.20 March 6, before returning to Hot Springs Wednesday. Cox indicated in January that Shedaresthedevil, the 2-1 program favorite, couldn't afford any training hiccups to make the Azeri, won last year by 2019 Kentucky Oaks champion Serengeti Empress.

“In a perfect schedule, I would have liked to have gotten a few more works into her,” Cox said. “But her last two works have been really, really good. Kind of really was the decision-maker. Her last two works have been well in hand. She's doing well. Her weight's good, so I feel confident she's going to run a good race. I don't think she's 100 percent tight, but she's very close.”

Shedaresthedevil was the top locally based 3-year-old filly last year, winning the $300,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) before running third behind eventual divisional champion Swiss Skydiver in the $400,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3). Shedaresthedevil races for a partnership that includes Staton Flurry of Hot Springs.

The projected five-horse Azeri field from the rail out: Envoutante, Brian Hernandez Jr. to ride, 121 pounds, 5-2 on the morning line; Motion Emotion, Ricardo Santana Jr., 117, 6-1; Letruska, Joel Rosario, 124, 3-1; Getridofwhatailesu, Javier Castellano, 121, 3-1; and Shedaresthedevil, Florent Geroux, 119, 2-1.

Envoutante, a stablemate of Swiss Skydiver, will also be making her 4-year-old debut Saturday. Envoutante exits what trainer Kenny McPeek termed a “beast of a race,” a front-running six-length victory against older horses in the $200,000 Falls City Stakes (G2) Nov. 26 at Churchill Downs.

Speedy Mexican star Letruska (12 of 16 overall) was an allowance winner last April at Oaklawn and a front-running 3 ½-length winner of the $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic (G3) Jan. 31 at Sam Houston in her last start.

“I think she's the speed,” trainer Fausto Gutierrez said. “You check the numbers. Anyone that wants to run with her, needs to run fast. If we lose, we lose. But the other one is taking a big risk.”

Gutierrez said he hopes to use the Azeri as a steppingstone to the Apple Blossom, among the country's premier two-turn events for older fillies and mares.

Getridofwhatailesu, also trained by Cox, came from well off the pace to win the $150,000 Pippin Stakes Jan. 23 at Oaklawn in her last start. She has a 3-1-0 record in four career starts in Hot Springs.

“She obviously likes Oaklawn,” Cox said. “It looks like there's going to be some pace in there, so she might get a setup. Come-from-behind horses tend to do not as well in shorter fields, but if there's ever one that looked like she could do well in, it would probably be this one, based off just the paper.”

Completing the field is Motion Emotion, who chased Letruska in the Houston Ladies Classic before tiring to finish a well-beaten fifth in her first start for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

Motion Emotion recorded sharp front-running maiden and allowance victories in 2019 at Oaklawn before finishing second in the Honeybee and Fantasy when with trainer Tom Van Berg.

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Front-Running Letruska Too Much For Houston Ladies Classic Foes

St. George Stable's front-running Letruska lived up to her odds-on favoritism in Sunday's $300,000, Grade 3 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park in Houston, Texas, fighting off a pesky Motion Emotion, then drawing away to win the ninth running of the filly and mare fixture by 2 1/2 lengths under jockey Jesus Castanon.

MIke Maker-trained Ujjayi finished second, with 2020 Houston Ladies Classic winner Lady Apple four lengths farther back in third and Tom Amoss-trained Figure It Out fourth. Motion Emotion, who like Lady Apple is trained by Steve Asmussen, finished fifth after making a bold mid-race move to pressure the eventual winner. Ken McPeek-trained Jeweled Princess finished sixth and Scott Geiner-trained Shes Our Fastest rounded out the field of seven.

Trained by Fausto Gutierrez, who brought the 5-year-old Kentucky-bred mare to the United States from Mexico City near the end of the 2019 racing season after winning all six of her races there, Letruska covered 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:45.02 after setting fractions of :23.66, :48.56, 1:12.99 and 1:38.42. She paid $2.80 as the 2-5 favorite and was winning for the 12th time in 16 career starts. Six of those wins have come in the U.S., including two other graded stakes: the G3 Shuvee at Saratoga last August and the G3 Rampart at Gulfstream Park in her last start on Dec. 12.

The Houston Ladies Classic was one of six stakes – two of them graded – with over $1 million in purses offered on Sunday's Houston Racing Festival program that saw wagering total $5,342,599.

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Letruska Sharp in Rampart Score

Letruska (Super Saver) made it a perfect three-for-three in front-running fashion over the Gulfstream Park main track in Saturday’s GIII Rampart S.

Racing without blinkers for the first time, the pride of Mexico shot out to the front and held a narrow advantage through an opening quarter in :23.92. Emisael Jaramillo hit the gas on the far turn and Letruska responded, kicking for home in control. She increased her advantage to the wire in a sharp performance.

Letruska began her career with six straight victories in Mexico, including a pair of Group 1 tallies. She was tabbed as the country’s champion 3-year-old filly of 2019.

The bay’s U.S. campaign has so far included victories in Gulfstream’s Copa Invitacional del Caribe S. last December and the Added Elegance S. in late June; an optional claiming tally at Oaklawn in the spring; and a win in Saratoga’s GIII Shuvee S. Aug. 30. She was last seen tiring to a well-beaten last of four in Belmont’s GI Beldame Invitational S. Oct. 4.

“I had a big question mark about today, because after her last race in New York, I decided to remove the blinkers,” winning trainer Fausto Gutierrez said. “I came to the conclusion that all the time she runs she never saw the other horses. It’s important how she responds when she feels the competition near her. It was a very good performance.”

As for what’s next, he added, “We’ll stay here and we’ll decide what’s possible. I think we’ll stretch her out next time.”

Pedigree Notes:

Winner of the GI Kentucky Derby a decade ago, Super Saver now has seven crops of racing age with 27 black-type winners. He stood the 2020 season in Turkey. While Eclipse champion Runhappy is the most well-known of Super Saver’s 12 graded winners, Letruska has taken the road less traveled to graded status, having started her career as an undefeated six-time winner in Mexico and being named champion 3-year-old filly in that country last year. Super Saver also had this fall’s GI Jockey Club Gold Cup winner in Happy Saver. Letruska hails from an active female family: her dam is a full-sister to GISW J P’s Gusto and a half-sister to the dam of dual Canadian champion Miss Mischief (Into Mischief), as well as a part of the immediate family of Eclipse champion and MGISW Proud Spell (Proud Citizen). In additional to Letruska, Magic Appeal also produced MSW & GISP Trigger Warning (Candy Ride {Arg}) and additional SP American Doll (Tiznow). The daughter of Successful Appeal–whose 24 stakes winners out of his daughters include GI Belmont S. winner Tapwrit (Tapit)–had colts by Hard Spun and Arrogate the last two years before visiting the court of Malibu Moon for next term.

Saturday, Gulfstream
RAMPART S.-GIII, $100,000, Gulfstream, 12-12, 3yo/up, f/m, 1m, 1:35.03, ft.
1–LETRUSKA, 125, f, 4, 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 Stables, LLC (KY); T-Fausto Gutierrez; J-Emisael
Jaramillo. $61,380. Lifetime Record: Ch. 3yo Filly-Mex,
15-11-0-1, $310,919. *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–Dream Marie, 118, f, 3, Graydar–Lin Marie, by Curlin.
($10,000 Ylg ’18 FTKOCT; $25,000 2yo ’19 OBSMAR).
O-Miracle’s International Trading, Inc.; B-Wynnstay LLC & GWR
LLC (KY); T-Matthew J. Williams. $19,800.
3–Bajan Girl, 118, f, 3, Speightstown–Dazzling (Ire), by Galileo
(Ire). ($110,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP; $105,000 2yo ’19 OBSOPN).
O-Robert Slack & Daniel Walters; B-St. Elias Stables, LLC
(KY); T-Rohan Crichton. $9,900.
Margins: 6 3/4, 3/4, 1. Odds: 1.50, 8.80, 1.80.
Also Ran: Good Credence, Sally’s Curlin, Crumb Bun. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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