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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