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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New York-Bred Niko’s Dream Rallies Wide For My Charmer Score At Gulfstream

Sackatoga Stable's Niko's Dream, placed in three previous stakes over the past two years, became a stakes winner for the first time with a 13-1 upset of the $75,000 My Charmer Saturday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

Jockey Junior Alvarado, riding for trainer Barclay Tagg, settled the 4-year-old Central Banker filly Niko's Dream alone in fifth as Piedi Bianchi ran a quarter-mile in 23.41 seconds and a half in 46.79 pressed by 2019 Tropical Park Oaks winner Our Bay B Ruth with 3-2 favorite Lady Lawyer and 35-1 long shot Great Sister Diane also in the top group.

Niko's Dream found herself surrounded by Grade 3-placed Art of Almost to the inside and Tuned on her right midway on the far turn when she kicked into high gear. Steered to the far outside by Alvarado, Niko's Dream collared Art of Almost at the top of the stretch and edged clear with plenty left to hold off a late bid from Tuned. The winning time was 1:41.82 for 1 1/16 miles over the good turf.

“I had a great trip. The whole way around, I was happy where I was,” Alvarado said. “I made my move when I wanted to and had to make sure she was in the clear on the outside. I've been riding her for a while, so I knew she likes to make a nice move on the outside. It worked out perfect today.”

Tuned beat Art of Almost for second, followed by Piedi Bianchi, Our Bay B Ruth, Lady Lawyer and Great Sister Diane.

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Lady’s Island Successfully Defends Title In Sugar Swirl At Gulfstream Park

Averill Racing LLC and Matties Racing's Lady's Island survived an inquiry to successful defend her title in the $100,000 Sugar Swirl (G3) at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The Sugar Swirl, a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares, was one of five stakes on Saturday's program, including the $200,000 Fort Lauderdale (G2), a key prep for the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Jan. 23.

Lady's Island's front-running score came a day after owner Rich Averill and his partners retired their 10-year-old turf sprint star Pay Any Price following a second-place finish in Friday's last race at Gulfstream.

“I have had a couple of emotional days,” said trainer Georgina Baxter. “I am so pleased she was able to defend her crown. They write her off, but to me, where she's right, she's one of the quickest fillies in America.”

The 6-year-old daughter of Greatness ($11) broke alertly under Emisael Jaramillo to show the way along the backstretch on her way to setting fractions of 22.12 and 44.54 seconds for a half mile. She continued to show the way into the stretch and maintained her lead while steadily drifting out. The Florida-bred mare shortened stride late but was able to hold off a late-running Bronx Beauty by a head.

Cinnabunny, the even-money favorite ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., closed steadily in the stretch while racing in tight quarters to finish third, three-quarters of a length back. Lady's Island ran six furlongs in 1:10.46.

Ortiz filed an objection, but after a lengthy review, the stewards made no change in the order of finish.

The successful title defense was the 17th victory in 34 career starts for Lady's Island, who scored a front-running 9 ¾-length victory in last season's Sugar Swirl.

“We don't know what the future holds for her,” said Averill. “This could be one of her last races.”

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Letruska Responds To Equipment Change With Victory In Rampart

St. George Stable's homebred filly Letruska shook off early pressure from Bajan Girl and opened up through the stretch to notch a popular front-running victory in Saturday's $100,000 Rampart Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The 42nd running of the one-mile Rampart for fillies and mares 3 and up was the first of five stakes, four graded, worth $575,000 in purses on an 11-race program headlined by the $200,000 Fort Lauderdale (G2), local prep for the $1-million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1).

Ridden by Emisael Jaramillo for trainer Fausto Gutierrez and favored at 3-2 in a field of six, Letruska ($5) completed the distance in 1:35.03 over a fast main track for her 11th career win and second in graded stakes company this year following the 1 1/8-mile Shuvee (G3) Aug. 30 at Saratoga.

Breaking from post 5 and racing without blinkers for the first time in her career, the 4-year-old daughter of Super Saver was hustled to the lead and in front through a quarter-mile in 23.92 seconds and a half in 46.31 chased by Bajan Girl, fourth in last winter's Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) and a winner of her last two starts at Gulfstream Park West.

Letruska remained in command around the turn and gained separation once straightened for home as Delaware Oaks (G3) runner-up Dream Marie came with a run up the rail to edge Bajan Girl for second. Good Credence, 2020 Hurricane Bertie (G3) winner Sally's Curlin and Crumb Bun completed the order of finish.

Following her gate-to-wire win in the Shuvee, Letruska opened up a seven-length lead in the 1 1/8-mile Beldame (G2) Oct. 4 at Belmont Park before fading to fourth in her most recent start. She improved to 3-0 lifetime at Gulfstream, including wins in the June 27 Added Elegance and last December's Copa Invitacional del Caribe going 1 ¼ miles against males.

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

Letruska won back-to-back Group 1 stakes in Mexico before making her U.S. debut in the Copa Invitacional. She also won a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance in April at Oaklawn Park.

“We'll stay here and we'll decide what's possible,” Gutierrez said. “I think we'll stretch her out next time.”

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