Head to Head: Handicapping the Personal Ensign Stakes
Named for the incredible Hall of Fame legend and producer, the Grade 1, $600,000 Personal Ensign Stakes boasts a roll call of elite fillies.
Personal Ensign’s granddaughter Storm Flag Flying, Royal Delta, Clairiere’s dam Cavorting, Abel Tasman and Midnight Bisou are but a few of the notable winners.
This year’s field is short but contentious. Clairiere and Malathaat throw it down for the seventh time, and Letruska will try to rebound to become only the second back-to-back winner of the Personal Ensign. Search Results and Crazy Beautiful round out the field.
The 1 1/8-mile Personal Ensign is carded as the ninth race of 13 on the Travers day card.
In a short field of classy fillies, everyone has the chance to hit the board. Ashley Tamulonis of Coast To Coast and I examine the field to see who will come out on top.
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ASHLEY |
LAURIE |
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1. Letruska |
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Letruska ran arguably her worst career race last out when beaten by 35 lengths in the Ogden Phipps (G1), a field that included Clairiere, Malathaat and Search Results. She has been training well for Fausto Gutierrez since and returns to a track over which she already owns two wins from three starts. As a front-runner, drawing the rail is incredibly beneficial, and Gutierrez has high marks across the board for horses away 46-90 days, graded stakes and beaten favorites. Contender. |
Letruska’s only off-the-board finishes since 2021 were in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, where she didn’t get the lead, and the Ogden Phipps (G1), where she set swift early fractions while being hounded by Search Results. Letruska was finished by the 3/8 pole and staggered home last. As Ashley noted, Clairiere, Malathaat and Search Results will be ready to pounce if Letruska shows any weakness. Contender. |
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Search Results rebounded from a third-place finish in the Ogden Phipps to easily take the Molly Pitcher (G3). The Flatter filly has only one prior start at Saratoga, a third-place finish in last year’s Test (G1). Trained by Chad Brown, Search Results is as consistent as can be, having never finished off the board in her career. Look for her to keep Letruska company on the front end. Contender. |
After cracking Letruska’s will, Search Results desperately tried to hold off Clairiere and Malathaat in the Ogden Phipps but was passed late by the dueling duo. Search Results beat lesser foes in the Molly Pitcher (G3). Ashley noted that Search Results never has finished off the board and was bested only a neck by Malathaat in the Kentucky Oaks. Contender. |
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3. Clairiere |
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Clairiere ran down Search Results and Malathaat in the Ogden Phipps to post a nearly 5-1 upset. She followed that up by once again defeating Malathaat, along with Crazy Beautiful, in the Shuvee (G2) at Saratoga. A daughter of two Grade 1 winners, Clairiere always brings her “A” game and has never finished off the board at Saratoga. Look for her to try to mow down her competition in the stretch once again. Contender. |
Clairiere and Malathaat renew their rivalry for the seventh time. Last year, Malathaat finished ahead of Clairiere in all four meetings. But this year, Clairiere has won both matches. Curlin’s daughters are hard to separate in class, talent and determination. Clairiere hasn’t been as effective at 1 1/8 miles as her rival, but wouldn’t it be awesome if she followed in her dam’s hoofprints and won the Personal Ensign? Contender. |
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Though she is Grade 1 placed, Crazy Beautiful is the only one in the field who has not won at the highest level. So far, the daughter of Liam’s Map has only one win in 2022, and that came on Turfway Park’s all-weather track in a listed stake. Crazy Beautiful also has not had an answer for the rest of this field, with Search Results, whom she has not faced, being the exception. Exotics only. |
Crazy Beautiful is a terrific filly against lesser fields. She’s in deep waters against Grade 1 types, and her race record and pedigree suggest that 1 1/16 miles is her sweet spot. She’s done well on turf, and it would be fun to see if that hidden talent could earn her higher rewards on the lawn. Worth a look for lower exotics, especially at a price. |
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5. Malathaat |
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Malathaat, though sharp, has not been quite the same as she was last year. Clairiere has gotten the best of her in their last two meetings. Saratoga also doesn’t seem to be her best surface despite the fact that she’s 3: 1-2-0 here. If she brings her best effort, Malathaat will be tough; but it does seem that Clairiere currently has her number. Contender. |
Malathaat had Clairiere’s number last year and bested her rival four times. This year, she lost the head bob to Clairiere in the Ogden Phipps. In the Shuvee, Malathaat took the overland route while Clairiere dove for the rail and cut the corner. Contender. |
Final thoughts
Ashley: What a field! In recent years it has been hard to come by a race that draws a short field but is loaded with top-level performers, and that’s exactly what we have here. Any of these fine fillies and mares could win, but based on current form, I have to go with Clairiere. I look for her to sit at the back of the field while Letruska, Search Results and Crazy Beautiful do the early heavy lifting and then come running in the stretch like she has in her last two starts.
Laurie: In the last decade, only two Personal Ensign heroines didn’t win their previous start. Nine of the 10 favorites were first or second.
Malathaat or Clairiere? Or will Letruska school the youngsters? Saratoga is known as the graveyard of favorites, so perhaps Search Results will surprise. Anything and everything happens at the Spa.
What separates Malathaat and Clairiere is their record at 1 1/8 miles. In five attempts, Malathaat has two wins, two second-place finishes, and a third. In four tries, Clairiere has a win and a third-place finish.
Granted, Clairiere’s breakthrough victory at the distance was in the Shuvee, and she might have matured into the better filly.
Letruska has four victories in six starts at 1 1/8 miles. Her weakness is her need-the-lead running style. She likely won’t get a breather because of Search Results drawing directly to her outside, and it’s possible that Crazy Beautiful could help keep the heat on.
Selections
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Ashley |
Laurie |
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3. Clairiere (6-5) |
5. Malathaat (5-2) |
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5. Malathaat (5-2) |
3. Clairiere (6-5) |
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2. Search Results (7-2) |
1. Letruska (3-1) |
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1. Letruska (3-1) |
2. Search Results (7-2) |