Favored Letruska romps to victory in Fleur de Lis
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Louisville, Ky.
Fleur de Lis (G2) favorite Letruska showed why on Saturday at Churchill Downs, winning the $300,000 race for fillies and mares.
The 5-year-old Super Saver mare broke from the outside post in the six-horse field, took the lead in the opening quarter mile and held on the rest of the way, romping down the stretch to beat Antoinette and Envoutante, who finished second and third, respectively.
“I made sure she took the lead and she relaxed really good,” winning jockey Jose Ortiz said. “Just was waiting for the right time to go and when we entered inside the quarter pole, I let her go and she responded nicely.” Fractions for the 1 1/8 mile race on the fast main track were 24.53, 48.19, 1:11.36 and 1:35.67. The winning time was 1:48.57. “I thought someone might go with the winner and they didn’t,” Antoinette’s jockey Florent Geroux said. “So I took the initiative to put a little pressure on, but I couldn’t do much against her at the end.” Letruska, trained by Fausto Gutierrez, came in off of consecutive Grade 1 wins in the Ogden Phipps and Apple Blossom. It was her second victory in a Breeders' Cup Distaff win-and-you're-in race after the Phipps.
“I made sure she took the lead and she relaxed really good,” winning jockey Jose Ortiz said. “Just was waiting for the right time to go and when we entered inside the quarter pole, I let her go and she responded nicely.” Fractions for the 1 1/8 mile race on the fast main track were 24.53, 48.19, 1:11.36 and 1:35.67. The winning time was 1:48.57. “I thought someone might go with the winner and they didn’t,” Antoinette’s jockey Florent Geroux said. “So I took the initiative to put a little pressure on, but I couldn’t do much against her at the end.” Letruska, trained by Fausto Gutierrez, came in off of consecutive Grade 1 wins in the Ogden Phipps and Apple Blossom. It was her second victory in a Breeders' Cup Distaff win-and-you're-in race after the Phipps.
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Ortiz said he was was unsure how the mare would respond off of just a three-week layoff, but the results proved it was the right move.
“I trust Fausto,” Ortiz said. “He’s a really good horseman, really good trainer. He runs them when they’re good and she looked fantastic.”
Gutierrez explained his decision for the relatively quick turnaround.
“When the horse is ready to run, she needs to run,” Gutierrez said after the race. “It’s more important, how does she do everyday?”
With a third win of the season, and after beating Monomoy Girl and Swiss Skydiver in the Apple Blossom, Letruska now appears to have inside track for the older filly and mare Eclipse Award.
Gutierrez said he felt she would be deserving.
“She runs with the top horses of her division, Swiss Skydiver, Monomoy, Shedaresthedevil,” Gutierrez said. “And she wins.”
Gutierrez pointed toward the Personal Ensign (G1) on Aug. 28 as a possible next destination for the mare, also saying she could run back at Churchill Downs in September. He also left open the possibility of running in the Breeders’ Cup Classic against males in November.
“When you go to that division, it has to be for a very, very special race,” Gutierrez said. “If this happens, it would be the Classic, not before.”
Letruska returned $3.40 for the win.
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