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‘This Nose Made A Big Difference’: Gutierrez Revels In Letruska’s Apple Blossom Glory

Letruska will remain at Oaklawn for the next few days before possibly heading to Churchill Downs, her trainer, Fausto Gutierrez, said Sunday morning, roughly 12 hours after the Mexican champion edged two-time Eclipse Award winner Monomoy Girl in the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) for older fillies and mares at the Hot Springs, Ark., track.

Letruska earned a preliminary Beyer Speed Figure of 102, a career high, for her front-running nose victory under Irad Ortiz Jr. Gutierrez said Letruska came out of the 1 1/16-mile race in good order, but next-race plans are pending for the 5-year-old daughter of 2010 Kentucky Derby winner and Arkansas Derby runner-up Super Saver. Letruska was coming off a runner-up finish, beaten a head by Shedaresthedevil, in the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) March 13 at Oaklawn.

“She ran an incredible race,” Gutierrez said. “We lost in the Azeri by a head. Here, we win by a nose. This nose made a big difference.”

Gutierrez said he initially considered wheeling back Letruska in the $500,000 La Troienne Stakes (G1) April 30 at Churchill Downs, but said it comes back too quick, particularly after a demanding race Saturday. He said shipping to Churchill Downs would still keep Letruska in the Midwest “area.”

Letruska, after not breaking sharply in the Apple Blossom, was pressed by Monomoy Girl and Eclipse Award winner Swiss Skydiver throughout. After briefly surrendering the lead to Monomoy Girl in midstretch, Letruska ($8.80) fought back on the inside to narrowly prevail. It was 6 ½ lengths farther back to Swiss Skydiver in third. The winning time over a fast track was 1:43.14. Letruska carried 118 pounds, six less than high-weighted Monomoy Girl, who was beaten for just the third time in 17 lifetime starts.

“I think we're going to take a little bit more time with her,” Gutierrez said. “The plan is to go to the Breeders' Cup. We need to check in the middle, which races we can go to.”

The Apple Blossom represents the biggest career victory for Gutierrez, 53, who, like the mare's owner/breeder, German Larrea Mota-Velasco (St. George Stable LLC), is from Mexico. Letruska won her first seven career starts, including six at Hipodromo De Las Americas in Mexico City. The streak was highlighted by blowouts in two legs of Mexico's Triple Crown for 3-year-old fillies in 2019 – Clasico Esmeralda (G1) and Clasico Diamante (G1) – when Letruska was named the country's divisional champion.

Letruska and Irad Ortiz Jr. (inside) defeat Monomoy Girl and Florent Geroux in the Apple Blossom

Gutierrez said Letruska's Apple Blossom victory was noteworthy because it made her the first horse to begin its racing career in Mexico to capture a Grade 1 event in the United States. Letruska, in her Grade 1 debut in the United States, finished fifth in the $300,000 Ballerina Stakes (G1) August 8 at Saratoga.

Letruska had previously won the $125,000 Shuvee Stakes (G3) Aug. 30 at Saratoga, $100,000 Rampart Stakes (G3) Dec. 12 at Gulfstream Park and the $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic (G3) Jan. 31 at Sam Houston.

“She's a great horse, she's amazing,” Gutierrez said. “Five years is a perfect age.”

Gutierrez is based in south Florida, where he keeps 12 horses at Palm Meadows Training Center. Letruska, however, remained at Oaklawn following the Azeri, recording two half-mile workouts in advance of the Apple Blossom.

“Of course, this helped, because she adapted better,” Gutierrez said. “She's a horse with a lot character. She liked the track. The weather was perfect. Finally, when you have these type of results, everything is perfect.”

Letruska shipped into trainer John Ortiz's barn last April at Oaklawn (an allowance victory during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic) and again for the Azeri. Ortiz and his staff helped care for Letruska following the Azeri, when Gutierrez said he returned twice to Florida.

“Johnny Ortiz, he's a very good friend,” Gutierrez said. “He's a person that helped me with everything and we spoke about what was better for the horse. I feel he's part of this win, 100 percent. He's a young trainer that's had very good results.”

Ortiz, among Oaklawn's top 10 trainers with 12 victories through Saturday, said he galloped Letruska after she arrived in Arkansas, adding she was a “very nice-moving filly” and “fast.”

“We treated her like one of our own,” Ortiz said as he clutched the Apple Blossom trophy late Saturday afternoon. “Nice seeing these type of horses in your barn.”

The victory improved Letruska's record to 13-1-1 from 18 lifetime starts. She collected $600,000 for her Apple Blossom victory to become a millionaire ($1,157,319. Larrea Mota-Velasco, a copper mining mogul, bred Letruska in Kentucky.

Shedaresthedevil, co-owned by Staton Flurry of Hot Springs, is scheduled to make her next start in the La Troienne.

The post ‘This Nose Made A Big Difference’: Gutierrez Revels In Letruska’s Apple Blossom Glory appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Week in Review: Irad’s Magic on Display in Apple Blossom

It happened again on Saturday, just as it seems to happen on every big day at the track. Irad Ortiz, Jr. won a race he wasn't supposed to win. When a race, in this case the GI Apple Blossom H., comes down to a nose at the wire and Ortiz is on the winning end, he probably made the difference. He's that good.

Ortiz picked up the mount on Letruska (Super Saver) for Saturday's race, riding her for the first time. Still, it looked like the best the 5-year-old mare could hope for was a third-place finish. The Apple Blossom was supposed to be a two-horse race between superstars Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) and Monomoy Girl (Tapizar). Letruska had solid credentials and a couple of Grade III wins on her resume, but it didn't appear that she had the ability to defeat either of the Eclipse Award winners. Or so everyone thought.

Midway on the far turn, it was clear that Letruska was going to put up a fight. She clung to a narrow lead over Monomoy Girl as Swiss Skydiver started to back out if it. But when Monomoy Girl poked her head in front past the quarter-pole, the race appeared to be over. She was the favorite, the class of the field and had all the momentum.

For the next 20 seconds, Monomoy Girl held the lead. It was not until the last three jumps or so that Letruska drew even before putting her nose in front at the wire. It seemed that Ortiz knew that Letruska had just enough left to make one well-timed surge before the wire.

“I go the right trip,” he said. “She likes to be on the lead. I let her go, let her make the lead. She relaxed and I was able to save something for the end. She responded really well.”

As an analyst on the “America's Day at the Races” show on the Fox Sports networks, former rider Richard Migliore has seen Ortiz win hundreds of races, many of them coming when he was not necessarily aboard the best horse.

“You have to have natural ability to begin with, which he has in spades,” Migliore said.”He has incredible natural ability. He's very strong, so, from the physical side he is gifted. When it comes to the mental side, he has the mentality of a champion, which is very hard to maintain over an extended period of time. He's done that. He loves what he is doing and he's always enthusiastic, and it doesn't matter if it's $10,000 claimer or a Grade I. You can see the enthusiasm whenever he is riding. I am a firm believer that horses feed on the energy from the people around them, and when that happens a horse will give his very best. Irad brings that to the table on a daily basis.”

Migliore said that in the Apple Blossom Ortiz made all the right moves at the right time.

“I understand that this is horse racing and you need the horse underneath you, but this was one of those races where the rider totally made the difference,” he said. “It was a matter of him not getting in Letruska's way. Did you see how comfortable she was down the backstretch? He was allowing her to run at her natural gait, where she's just very happy and very efficient. At the same time, he was saving horse. He is not getting in her way and he was not using her.

“Most good riders know the habits of the horses around them and the other riders around them. Monomoy Girl does have a tendency, when she gets to the front, to idle a little bit. Irad, I am sure, knew that. When he really set Letruska down was when Monomoy Girl got in front of her. He anticipated that she was going to idle and bit and when that happened he was able to get Letruska to impose her will on Monomoy Girl.”

Ortiz, 28, has been on top for a while. He's won the Eclipse Award as the nation's top jockey three years in row and has led the nation in both wins and earnings every year since 2018.

Yet, he seems to have taken things to another level this year. At the Gulfstream championship meet, where he was riding against many of the best jockeys in the country, he demolished the competition, winning 140 races, 42 more than runner-up Paco Lopez. On his first day back in New York, he won six races on the card topped by the GII Wood Memorial S. He's winning at a rate of 28% this year, a career best for him. He's on a pace to win 480 races this year, which would also be a career best.

He's by far the best jockey in the country, and in the Apple Blossom he showed you why.

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Letruska Defeats Monomoy Girl In An Apple Blossom Thriller

Saturday's $1-million, Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap was billed as a match of North American champions Monomoy Girl and Swiss Skydiver, but a third champion – this one from Mexico – stole the show when Letruska re-rallied in deep stretch to snatch victory from Monomoy Girl by a nose in a stirring renewal of Oaklawn's major race for fillies and mares in Hot Springs, Ark.

Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Letruska – a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred Super Saver mare bred and owned by St. George Stables and trained by Fausto Gutierrez – set the pace in the Apple Blossom and was passed by Monomoy Girl in the stretch. But the winner of 12 previous races from 17 starts – including a trio of G3 events in the U.S. after being imported from Mexico – fought back gallantly for the win. She covered 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:43.13 and paid $8.80 as the third wagering choice.

Monomoy Girl, the 3-5 favorite and two-time champion (3-year-old filly in 2018 and older dirt mare in 2020), finished second. Swiss Skydiver, the champion 3-year-old filly in 2020, was a non-threatening third after racing close up early but bottled up along the inside. Getridofwhatailesu, like Monomoy Girl trained by Brad Cox, finished fourth in the field of six.

Monomoy Girl carried high weight of 124 pounds, conceding two pounds to Swiss Skydiver and six pounds to Letruska.

The defeat ended a six-race win streak for Monomoy Girl that included G1 Breeders' Cup Distaff victories in 2018 and 2020. Her last defeat was when finishing first but being disqualified for interference in the G1 Cotillion at Parx in 2018. The Apple Blossom was just the second time in 17 races she didn't cross the finish line ahead of her competition. That only other occurrence was when second to Road to Victory in the G2 Golden Rod Stakes as a 2-year-old in 2017.

Letruska was first seen in the U.S. when she won the Copa Invitational del Caribe Stakes at Gulfstream Park in December 2019, coming to this country undefeated in six starts in Mexico. Gutierrez eased the mare into graded stakes company, winning the G3 Shuvee at Saratoga in 2020 and adding the G3 Rampart at Gulfstream last December and then taking the G3 Houston Ladies Classic in January. She came off a narrow defeat to 2020 G1 Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil in the G2 Azeri at Oaklawn.

Letruska outran Swiss Skydiver for the early lead and set fractions of :23.56, :47.96 and 1:12.26 for the opening six furlongs with Monomoy Girl on her right flank most of the way. Monomoy Girl passed Letruska in the stretch, setting a one-mile fraction of 1.36.91, but Letruska fought back gamely for the win.

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‘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.

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