“She came out of the race good. The first impression is that she will be OK. She scoped clean and ate everything. We need to watch her for a few more days before making a final decision on how she is,” Gutierrez told bloodhorse.com. “It was a very, very tough race on her, but this happens in a race as good as the Breeders' Cup. When I heard the announcer say the fractions, I had the same reaction as all of the fans when they said 'ooh.' I knew she was finished after seven furlongs.”

Letruska had put together an impressive season ahead of the Distaff, winning seven of her six starts including four Grade 1s, and is the likely Eclipse Award champion. Gutierrez, who has trained her since her championship 3-year-old season in Mexico, plans to keep Letruska in training through 2022 with the goal of bringing her back to the Breeders' Cup. He is considering a lighter schedule for the mare next season, perhaps with six starts instead of eight, so she'll be more fresh when she arrives at Keeneland for a second shot at the World Championships.

Read more at bloodhorse.com.

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Letruska, trained by Fausto Gutierrez, worked five furlongs in 1:01.20, and shortly afterward, Hot Rod Charlie worked seven furlongs in company in 1:26.80 for trainer Doug O'Neill.

Letruska was scheduled to work on her own, but she picked up some company on the backstretch.

“I was not planning on company; it was not ideal,” said exercise rider Roger Horgan, who was aboard Letruska who stayed to the inside of her unexpected companion. “She did relax. I was a bit concerned, but she switched off and let her do it on her own. I was very proud of her the way she relaxed.”

Gutierrez said Letruska handled the track well, noting that she has handled every track well in a 2021 campaign that has taken her to six tracks previously.

Shortly after Letruska finished, Hot Rod Charlie appeared on the scene working in company with Khantaro d'Oro, a 2-year-old maiden. Del Mar clockers caught Hot Rod Charlie in :47.80 for the half-mile, 1:00.20 for five furlongs, 1:13 for six furlongs, and 1:26.80 for the seven-eighths.

“I thought the work was visually impressive,” O'Neill said. “Charlie sat off his workmate and when Flavien (Prat) called on him, he responded well. He galloped out good and his energy was very high.”

O'Neill also sent out $1 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf pre-entrant Mackinnon to work six furlongs on the main track in 1:14.80.

Nine other Breeders' Cup pre-entrants worked: Ain't Easy (NetJets Juvenile Fillies) 5f in 1:01; Desert Dawn (NetJets Juvenile Fillies) 5f in 1:00.60; Helens Well (IRE) (Juvenile Fillies Turf) 5f in 1:00.60; Oviatt Class (TVG Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance) 5f in :59.60 in company; Proud Emma (Filly & Mare Sprint) 5f in :59.80 with Prat aboard; Aloha West (Qatar Racing Sprint) 4f in :47.20; Channel Maker (Longines Turf) 4f in :48.40; Chaos Theory (Turf Sprint) 4f in :48.20; and Horologist (Longines Distaff) 4f in :49.60.

The post Letruska, Hot Rod Charlie Get Final Workouts For Breeders’ Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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A dual Group 1 winner in Mexico for Fausto Gutierrez in 2019, Letruska stamped herself as a horse to watch with an impressive wire-to-wire score in last summer's GIII Shuvee S. at Saratoga and, after disappointing when finishing a well-beaten fourth in Belmont's GII Beldame S., added open-lengths graded stakes successes in the GIII Rampart S. and GIII Houston Ladies Classic S. over the winter. A narrow second in the GII Azeri S. at Oaklawn, the 5-year-old sent a seismic shock through the racing world when improbably re-rallying to stun dual champion Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) in the GI Apple Blossom H. Apr. 17 in Hot Springs. She then added a 2 3/4-length conquest of the GI Ogden Phipps S. and came back three weeks later for a 5 3/4-length romp in the GII Fleur de Lis S. before fighting off a host of challengers to annex the GI Personal Ensign S. last out Aug. 28 at Saratoga.

Away with all the money on to keep it rolling in this first career start at Keeneland, the bay broke as cleanly as Gutierrez could have asked for and established command in the first handful of strides under regular rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. Shaking loose from her nearest pursuers with ears pricked heading into the clubhouse turn, Letruska clicked off moderate fractions of :24 flat and :47.89 while moving easily in the clear. Crystal Ball (Malibu Moon) tried her best to take a run at the chalk as three-quarters went up in 1:12.52, but was always under more pressure than Letruska and dropped away by the top of the lane. Distant second choice Dunbar Road (Quality Road) began to make up marginal ground passing the eighth pole, but was never a realistic threat, and Letruska bounded past the wire a victress for the 17th time in her remarkable 22-race career.

“This is a horse to change the life of any person,” said Gutierrez. “She's a superstar and she proves [it] every second, every race. She shows her game, her ability at Churchill, at Oaklawn, at Saratoga. She's a racehorse.”

“She's doing so good right now,” added Ortiz. “I think she has great condition, a good trainer. She's doing unbelievable right now. She was just moving smooth out there. She didn't go that fast today but she did it easy, relaxed, and whenever I asked her she was there for me.”

Pedigree Notes:

One of 32 stakes winners, 16 graded stakes winners and seven Grade I winners for 2010 GI Kentucky Derby hero Super Saver, Letruska is the third black-type performer and second black-type winner from seven foals to race out of GSP Magic Appeal, a half-sister to GISW and sire J P's Gusto (Successful Appeal) and the dam of dual Canadian champion Miss Mischief (Into Mischief). Second dam Call Her Magic (Caller I. D.) was an eight-time winner in 14 career starts and ran a 107 Beyer when airing in a turf sprint stake by 6 3/4 lengths at Delaware in 2000. She is also a half-sister to the dam of 2008 GI Kentucky Oaks winner Proud Spell (Proud Citizen). Magic Appeal, a $100,000 Keeneland November pickup by Letruska's owner/breeder in 2015, has an unraced 2-year-old Hard Spun colt named Ocotzingo, a yearling colt by Arrogate and a weanling filly by Malibu Moon. She was bred to Curlin this spring.

Sunday, Keeneland
JUDDMONTE SPINSTER S.-GI, $500,000, Keeneland, 10-10, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/8m, 1:49.01, 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 Stables, LLC (KY); T-Fausto Gutierrez; J-Irad
Ortiz, Jr. $300,000. Lifetime Record: Ch. 3yo Filly-Mex,
22-17-1-1, $2,236,459. *1/2 to Trigger Warning (Candy Ride
(ARG)), MSW & GISP, $555,378. Werk Nick Rating: 
   Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Dunbar Road, 124, m, 5, by Quality Road
                1st Dam: Gift List, by Bernardini
                2nd Dam: Private Gift, by Unbridled
                3rd Dam: Private Status, by Alydar
($350,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP). O-Peter M. Brant; B-Jeffery J.
Drown (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $100,000.
3–Bonny South, 124, f, 4, by Munnings
                1st Dam: Touch the Star, by Tapit
                2nd Dam: Willstar, by Nureyev
                3rd Dam: Nijinsky Star, by Nijinsky II
O/B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $50,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, 2 1/4, 2HF. Odds: 0.40, 4.60, 6.10.
Also Ran: Crystal Ball, Envoutante, Town Avenger. Scratched: High Regard. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

The post Letruska Dominates in Keeneland’s Spinster appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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“I think it will be with the mares. I think this is the correct decision,” he said. “I think there is a group where she is the leader. Anyway, this can change in any moment. You never know.”

The Personal Ensign was Letruska's fourth-straight graded stakes victory, three of them Grade Is, and earned her a “Win and You're In” berth in the Distaff. Gutierrez said she needs to be supplemented to the Breeders' Cup.

Letruska led from gate to wire and completed the nine-furlong Personal Ensign in 1:49.15 and edged Bonny South (Munnings) by a half-length. Royal Flag (Candy Ride) was another head back in third

“She's a good horse. She runs fast,” Gutierrez said. “Yesterday was one of the most complete races she has had. For the track. For the competition. To fight with the frontrunners to the half-mile in :46 was very fast. The other ones go back and the three horses that are last come again. You check yesterday and all of the stakes were decided by a nose, a neck, just Gamine won by a length and a half. It tells you how competitive the races are at this level.”

Bred and raced by the Mexican billionaire German Larrea Mota-Velasco, who operates as St. George Stable, the 5-year-old mare further strengthened her position as the top older female in the country with her fifth victory in six starts this season. It was her 16th career victory in 21 races in Mexico and the U.S.

Gutierrez said that the 5-year-old mare came out the race well.

“She likes to run and she likes to come back and three days after that she wants to go again,” he said.

Letruska will be shipped to Monmouth Park Monday. She will stay there for about a month, Gutierrez said, then move to Keeneland for the GI Juddmonte Spinster S. Oct. 10.

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Diaz said Letruska will leave Saratoga Monday bound for Monmouth Park, where the South Florida-based Gutierrez also maintains a string of horses. The trainer said Letruska would be pointed to the $500,000 Grade 1 Juddmonte Spinster October 10 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., as a final prep for the $2 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff November 6 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

Letruska led from start to finish and turned back several challengers in the final furlong to capture the 1 1/8-mile Personal Ensign by a half-length, her fourth consecutive victory and 16th in 21 lifetime starts. Nine of her wins have come in graded stakes, five of them against Grade or Group 1 competition.

“She has ability, but more she has a big heart. This a special horse,” Gutierrez said following the win. “To have this speed and to be able to run long distances, and to have the big heart is special. Not for nothing, I think this is one of the best horses in the country.”

The Personal Ensign was Letruska's third victory this year in a “Win and You're In” challenge race for the Distaff, following the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps June 5 at Belmont Park and Grade 2 Fleur de Lis June 26 at Churchill Downs. She has won five of her six starts in 2021, including a defeat of champion Monomoy Girl in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom April 17 at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark. Her lone loss this year came by a head in Oaklawn's Grade 2 Azeri March 13.

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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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The victory earns Letruska an expenses-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Distaff, scheduled for early November in Del Mar.

It was the second Grade 1 win for both Letruska and Gutierrez; the mare defeated champion Monomoy Girl last out in the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park.

“Today, she confirmed what we saw in the Apple Blossom,” Gutierrez said. “She's progressed with age and taking the blinkers off. She ran like a big horse. When she would run on the lead, she never saw the other horses. She has improved so much more. She has this class to her. She really likes to run.

“Now we need to focus on the Breeders' Cup with the form that we have. These races are really tough. We'll check how she does. She's a very sound filly and I hope she continues like this.”

The anticipated speed duel with Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil did not materialize as Letruska was able to clear away from that rival down the backstretch, setting measured fractions of :23.49 and :45.87. Ortiz held a 1 1/2 length advantage heading into the turn, and Letruska extended that lead to nearly three lengths without being asked to mark three-quarters in 1:10.26.

Shedaresthedevil was unable to match strides with the winner down the lane, and late-running Bonny South moved up from last to gain second. At the finish, however, Letruska was all alone and geared down to win by 2 3/4 lengths. Queen Nekia filled out the super, while Water White finished last of the five. Both Swiss Skydiver and Valiance were scratched.

“She was breaking a little bit slow, but she broke good today,” Ortia said. “I was able to put her on the lead and make the other horses chase me. Florent [Geroux, aboard Shedaresthedevil], if he wanted to beat me, he had to run with me. She couldn't keep up with me by the three-eighths pole. When I looked back and saw her three lengths behind me, I was very happy.”

Bred in Kentucky by her owner, Letruska is out of the graded stakes-placed Successful Appeal mare Magic Appeal, a half to Grade 1 winner J P's Gusto. Letruska is a half-sister to the Grade 1-placed Trigger Warning; St. George purchased the dam, Magic Appeal, with Letruska in utero for $100,000 at the 2015 Keeneland November sale. She began her career in Mexico, winning a pair of G1 races, then came to the United States with her trainer in late 2019. Letruska has blossomed this year as a 5-year-old, winning three of her four starts including back-to-back Grade 1's. Overall, the mare's record stands at 14 wins from 19 starts for earnings of over $1.4 million.

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The bay was backed as the 6-5 favorite in this scratched-down field of five after posting a heart-stopping victory over the brilliant Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) in the GI Apple Blossom H. Apr. 17.

With Jose Ortiz subbing for his sidelined brother Irad Ortiz, Jr. once again here, Letruska seized the early advantage and was tracked by last year's GI Kentucky Oaks and last out GI La Troienne S. heroine Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) through fractions of :23.49 and :46.76. The pride of Mexico began to let it out a notch rounding the far turn, hit the top of the stretch in complete command and was never seriously threatened en route to a convincing tally.

Bonny South (Munnings) tagged her aforementioned Brad Cox-trained stablemate for second.

“This is back-to-back Grade I wins,” winning trainer Fausto Gutierrez said. “She showed her potential. This is a speed horse that can run long distances. Today, she confirmed what we saw in the Apple Blossom. She's progressed with age and taking the blinkers off. She ran like a big horse.

He continued, “When she would run on the lead, she never saw the other horses. She has improved so much more. She has this class to her. She really likes to run. Now, we need to focus on the Breeders' Cup with the form that we have. These races are really tough. We'll check how she does. She's a very sound filly and I hope she continues like this.”

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.

Her U.S. campaign has so far also included victories in Gulfstream's Copa 2019 Invitacional del Caribe S., Saratoga's GIII Shuvee S. last summer, Gulfstream's GIII Rampart S. Dec. 12 and Sam Houston's GIII Houston Ladies Classic S. Jan. 31. She came up just a head short of Shedaresthedevil in the GII Azeri S. Mar. 13.

Pedigree Notes:

Letruska, purchased in utero for $100,000 at KEENOV in 2015, is one of five Grade I winners for the expatriated Super Saver. Successful Appeal is also the broodmare sire of GI Belmont S. winner Tapwrit (Tapit) and a total of 11 graded winners. Letruska is one of three black-type performers for her Grade II-placed dam, a full-sister to Grade I winner J P's Gusto and a half-sister to Kid Majic (Lemon Drop Kid), the dam of two-time Sovereign Award winner and GSW Miss Mischief (Into Mischief) and MSP Mind Out (Tapit). Letruska's third dam produced Pacific Spell (Langfuhr), whose daughter Proud Spell (Proud Citizen) won the 2008 GI Kentucky Oaks en route to an Eclipse Award. Magic Appeal is the dam of the 2-year-old colt Ocotzingo (Hard Spun), a yearling colt by Arrogate and had a filly by Malibu Moon this year.

Saturday, Belmont
OGDEN PHIPPS S.-GI, $480,000, Belmont, 6-5, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16m, 1:41.25, ft.
1–LETRUSKA, 122, 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-St. George Stable LLC; B-St. George Stables, LLC (KY);
T-Fausto Gutierrez; J-Jose L. Ortiz. $275,000. Lifetime Record:
Ch. 3yo Filly-Mex, 19-14-1-1, $1,432,319. *1/2 to Trigger
Warning (Candy Ride (ARG)), MSW & GISP, $555,378. Werk
   Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Bonny South, 120, f, 4, by Munnings
1st Dam: Touch the Star, by Tapit
2nd Dam: Willstar, by Nureyev
3rd Dam: Nijinsky Star, by Nijinsky II
O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-Brad H. Cox.
$100,000.
3–Shedaresthedevil, 122, f, 4, 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). O-Qatar Racing, Flurry Racing
Stables, LLC & Autry Lowry, Jr.; B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY);
T-Brad H. Cox. $60,000.
Margins: 2 3/4, 1, 10 1/4. Odds: 1.20, 2.50, 1.65.
Also Ran: Queen Nekia, Water White. Scratched: Swiss Skydiver, Valiance.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

The post Letruska Wires the Ogden Phipps appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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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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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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