Report: Letruska will miss Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint

Letruska, who was pre-entered in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, will not race on Saturday.

Trainer Fausto Gutierrez stated that she currently needs 60 days off, according to a tweet from Joaquin Jaime of FanDuel TV. She will miss the Breeders' Cup, though a decision on whether she will return to racing or retire has not yet been made.

The 6-year-old daughter of Super Saver began her career in Mexico in 2018 and 2019, at ages two and three. She acclimated quickly to racing in the United States, finding a home at the graded level during her 4-year-old season. She moved forward even further as a 5-year-old, winning four Grade 1 races en route to being named the year's champion older dirt female.

This year Letruska began with two straight wins, romping in the Royal Delta (G3) in February and repeating in the Apple Blossom (G1) over Clairiere and Ce Ce. However, she is winless in three starts since, and most recently finished a well-beaten fourth behind Malathaat in the Spinster (G1). After that, Gutierrez stated that she would point to the shorter race instead of the Breeders' Cup Distaff.

Even without Letruska, the Filly & Mare Sprint is expected to remain strong. Divisional leaders include Ce Ce, who won the race last year en route to an Eclipse for champion female sprinter, and Goodnight Olive, who won her fifth straight race in the Ballerina (G1). Other marquee contenders among the Filly and Mare Sprint pre-entrants include Slammed, winner of the Thoroughbred Club of America (G2), Echo Zulu, who won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies in 2021, and Kimari, who is cross-entered to face males in the Breeders' Cup Sprint.