Shedaresthedevil Returns to Winning Ways in Fleur de Lis

Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) returned to the scene of her greatest triumph for Saturday's GII Fleur de Lis S. and came home a winner for the first time since taking this venue's GIII Locust Grove S. in September. It was her sixth win from seven starts at Churchill Downs with one second.

The slight second choice behind Pauline's Pearl (Tapit), who defeated her in the GI La Troienne S. May 6, Shedaresthedevil glided up to stalk from second as Super Quick (Super Saver) carved out early splits of :24.13 and :47.83. Turning up the heat at the top of the stretch, the bay pounced on the pacesetter at the eighth-pole and bounded clear to score. Super Quick held second over Pauline's Pearl.

“We're really proud of the race she ran today,” trainer Brad Cox said. “We've targeted this race for a long time. She loves it here at Churchill Downs and Florent [Geroux] gave her a perfect ride. It was a tough field but I had confidence in her when I saw her position going around the turn that she'd have enough left to chase down [Super Quick].”
“We sat in a perfect position the entire way around the track,” Geroux said. “Inside the eighth pole she started to find her best stride and drew away late. She's back.”

A $100,000 KEENOV weanling, Shedaresthedevil was purchased by Flurry Racing for $280,000 at the end of her juvenile season at the 2019 KEENOV sale. Qatar Racing stayed in as a partner and they were joined by Big Aut Farm. She captured a pair of Grade IIIs in 2020 before upending eventual champion Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) at 15-1 in the GI Kentucky Oaks. Winner of the GII Azeri S. and GI La Troienne to start 2021, the bay was third to champion Letruska (Super Saver) in the GI Ogden Phipps S. at Belmont that summer and returned to winning ways when making the trip to Del Mar for the GI Clement Hirsch S. She followed suit with her Locust Grove win, but could only manage sixth back in SoCal for the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff in November.

Sent through the Fasig November sale yet again, Shedaresthedevil was the second highest-priced offering, bringing $5-million from Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill with Flurry and Qatar staying in as partners. Third to Saturday's GII Princess Rooney S. winner and champion sprinter Ce Ce (Elusive Quality) in this year's Azeri Mar. 12, Shedaresthedevil was run down late by Pauline's Pearl when last seen in the La Troienne.

Pedigree Notes:
Shedaresthedevil is a half to GSP Mojovation (Quality Road). Her dam Starship Warpspeed is also responsible for the unraced 3-year-old filly Blackheartedgypsy (Speightster), an unraced juvenile filly named Jupiter Mooon (Exaggerator), a yearling colt by Uncle Mo and a 2022 filly by that Coolmore stallion. This is also the family of GSW & MGISP Crafty C. T.

Saturday, Churchill Downs
FLEUR DE LIS S.-GII, $345,000, Churchill Downs, 7-2, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/8m, 1:49.17, ft.
1–SHEDARESTHEDEVIL, 121, m, 5, by Daredevil
1st Dam: Starship Warpspeed, by Congrats
                2nd Dam: Andria's Forest, by Forestry
                3rd Dam: Andriana B., by Far North
($100,000 Wlg '17 KEENOV; $20,000 RNA Ylg '18 KEESEP;
$280,000 2yo '19 KEENOV; $5,000,000 4yo '21 FTKNOV).
O-Flurry Racing Stables LLC, Qatar Racing Limited & Whisper
Hill Farm, LLC; B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox;
J-Florent Geroux. $216,000. Lifetime Record: MGISW,
20-10-3-5, $2,729,458. *1/2 to Mojovation (Quality Road),
GSP, $335,378. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Werk Nick Rating: A++.
2–Super Quick, 121, f, 4, Super Saver–Quick Town, by Cape
Town. O/B-Marylou Whitney Stables LLC (KY); T-Norm W.
Casse. $70,000.
3–Pauline's Pearl, 124, f, 4, Tapit–Hot Dixie Chick, by Dixie
Union. O-Stonestreet Stables LLC; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred
Holdings LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $35,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, 3HF, 1 3/4. Odds: 1.40, 2.40, 1.40.
Also Ran: She's All Wolfe, Ava's Grace.
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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The Week in Review: A Throwback, Letruska is Horse-of-the-Year Material

Apparently, trainer Fausto Gutierrez, whose main base is in Mexico, didn't get the memo. Top U.S. horses just don't run back in three weeks or start four times over the span of 85 days. They don't go from track to track and take on all challengers. Owned by St. George Stable, Letruska (Super Saver) is doing what just isn't done anymore.

Coming back in three weeks after winning the GI Ogden Phipps S., Letruska romped Saturday at Churchill Downs in the GII Fleur de Lis S., winning by 5 3/4 lengths. It was her fifth race this year and her fourth win, which may not seem like a lot, but is commendable in an era where the less-is-more theory of training a horse has been taken to ridiculous extremes. Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper), the top contender at present for Horse of the Year, has raced just twice and not since winning the G1 Dubai World Cup Mar. 27. Domestic Spending (Kingman {GB}), the best turf horse in the country, has also raced just twice. And not a single horse ran in all three Triple Crown races this year.

Not only has the 5-year-old mare stood up to the “punishment,” she has thrived. Entering the Apr. 17 GI Apple Blossom H., she had never run a triple-digit Beyer number, but did so when upsetting champion Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) by a nose to earn a figure of 102. She came back June 5 and got a career best 103 in her win in the Phipps. In the Fleur De Lis, she ventured into the triple digits once again, getting a 102.

Afterwards, Gutierrez would not commit when asked where Letruska would run next, but as long as he keeps the kid gloves off, the Aug. 28 GI Personal Ensign S. at Saratoga seems like a logical spot.

Wherever she starts next, she will be after her 16th career win from 21 starts and her sixth graded stakes win. All this from a horse who started her career in Mexico.

The combination of Letruska and St. George dominate Mexican racing. St. George is owned by German Larrea, who, according to Forbes, is worth $16.3 billion and is the second richest man in Mexico. She broke her maiden in a $3,400 race in Mexico City then won three straight allowance races worth a combined $13,700. After shipping to Gulfstream to win a race in the Caribbean Classic Series, she finished 13th in the 2019 Tropical Park Oaks in her first in the U.S. in open company. There was nothing to suggest what was to come.

With the year she is having and after beating Monomoy Girl at Oaklawn, she's the leading contender for the older filly and mare dirt championship. Gutierrez isn't ruling out a Horse-of-the-Year title, and why not?

“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,” he said. Gutierrez went on to tell reporters that a start in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic is a possibility.

Letruska may not be the very best horse in the sport and there may be some worthy Horse-of-the-Year candidates out of the dirt male or turf male divisions. But Horse of the Year is supposed to go to the horse who did the most from January through December and not the horse who ran four times and won some big races. If voters follow that criteria, Letruska should have a good shot at the sport's most coveted year-end honor.

Meadowlands Issues Its Own Ban For Driver Who Violated Whip Rules

As reported last week in the TDN by T.D. Thorton, harness driver Joe Bongiorno was fined $5,000 and suspended 20 days by the Meadowlands judges for over use of his whip. The judges ruled that Bongiorno's actions caused a spill that led to one horse being injured and euthanized. Unlike jockeys in New Jersey, harness drivers are allowed to use their whip to encourage horses, but there are severe restrictions placed on its use.

Bongiorno received a stay, but will nonetheless be sidelined. Starting last Friday, he began a 20-day ban put that was put in place by track owner Jeff Gural, who is never afraid to take matters into his owns hands. He was also banned at the two other tracks Gural owns, Vernon Downs and Tioga Downs.

Gural took action because he was concerned about an on-going pattern when it came to Bongiorno and the whip. The Meadowlands issued a statement, which read: “The Meadowlands, Tioga and Vernon Downs are excluding Joe Bongiorno from driving in races at any of those three tracks beginning Friday (June 25). This action is being taken due to track management's observation of Mr. Bongiorno's driving over a lengthy period of time. Most recently, in the seventh race on Saturday (May 29), Mr. Bongiorno was driving the horse Pat Stanley N when that horse fell while in contention in the very late stages of the race, resulting in a three horse accident where one of the horses suffered a catastrophic injury. Fortunately, the other two horses and all three drivers were able to walk away with minor injuries.”

Bongiorno can resume driving July 16 at the Meadowlands.

Rich Glazier, RIP

If you never paid attention to the simulcasts from Delaware Park and caught Rich Glazier's act, the loss was yours. Glazier, who worked for 30 years at Delaware Park as their TV host and paddock analyst, passed away Tuesday at the age of 73.

Glazier was much older than most racing talking heads and he was not nearly as pretty. But what this rumpled septuagenarian might have lacked in style he more than made up in substance. He knew his stuff, especially when it came to turf racing, but never took himself too seriously. He had his jokes and his shtick, all of which worked. He always reminded you of your favorite uncle who first took you to the track when you were a kid.

Mr. Delaware Park, Glazier was so devoted to his hometown track that he missed only one running of the Delaware H. (with the exception of the 1982 through 1985 runnings when it was held in Saratoga.) And he had a pretty good excuse–he was in Vietnam at the time. But that didn't keep Glazier from getting down a bet. For the 1968 Delaware H., he called his mother and told her to get to the local bookie and get a bet down for him on Politely. Politely won.

Chris Sobocinski, the track's morning-line maker and public relations director, worked alongside Glazier for years.

“He's almost synonymous with Delaware Park,” Sobocinski said. “I grew up with him being the replay show host for many, many years. In many ways, a part of Delaware Park died when Rich Glazier passed away.”

He loved horse racing like few others. One of the very best people I have ever come across in the sport, Glazier will be missed.

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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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