St. George Stable's homebred Letruska made a sharp return to the work tab May 13, her first timed move since her gallant defeat of dual champion Monomoy Girl in the April 10 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) at Oaklawn Park.
The 5-year-old daughter of Super Saver fired a bullet when she clicked through four furlongs in :46 flat on the main track at Keeneland, fastest of 53 at the distance on the day. She worked on a reduced dose of the anti-bleeding medication Salix (furosemide, also commonly called Lasix) as trainer Fausto Gutierrez preps her to run in the June 5 Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park in New York. Lasix is prohibited within 48 hours of all stakes races at New York Racing Association tracks in accordance with NYRA's commitment to eliminating race day medication.
In her last start, the 5-year-old daughter of Super Saver edged Monomoy Girl by a hard-fought nose after leading the way in the 1 1/16-mile Apple Blossom. Despite getting headed by her accomplished rival in a thrilling stretch duel, she surged back to earn her first North American grade 1 with valor.
"She worked in :46 and galloped out to five furlongs in :58, after I tried to work her relaxed," Gutierrez reported. "I said to the exercise rider, 'Please just breeze in :49 and one minute.' After the workout, I asked him, 'Did you know what time you were going in?' She has this kind of speed and rhythm so the rider sometimes doesn't feel how fast they're going. In the past, some jockeys riding her have told me after the race, 'I didn't feel that we went so fast.'"
Gutierrez, Mexico's leading trainer, shipped Letruska to Keeneland to prep for the Ogden Phipps while he runs a handful of horses at Churchill Downs, Indiana Grand, and Arlington International Racecourse.
"I decided to move to Keeneland because I didn't want to go back with her to Florida. I think the weather isn't a good option," he said. "Keeneland, I thought, was the perfect place to train for her."
Gutierrez said he was pleased with Letruska's return to the work tab, despite it being quicker than planned.
"Really, she worked fantastic," he said. "Very good and very easy. I think she's in great form and if everything continues like this, she'll run in the Ogden Phipps in New York. I think we are ready for that race. It's a grade 1, for sure big competition, and a race with a lot of prestige. But I think now she's at the point to have to run in these races to prove she's a champion."
From 18 career starts, Letruska has made her past 14 on Lasix, 12 of them in the United States. She raced in Mexico for her first four starts without the medication, then ran on it twice there before she was shipped stateside to compete.
"In this case, she is not a real bleeder," Gutierrez said. "She bled a couple of times in Mexico and once here. We used the medication but now she has to run without it, and I think for any trainer, it's a question mark. Especially in these kind of races with the bigger horses that bled in the past in their career, we remember that. Changing the races like this, it's a factor. But it's OK; now the new rule is to run without Lasix, so we need to adjust."
Gutierrez said Letruska scoped clean after Thursday's work. He said the mare will likely work just once more before the Ogden Phipps, and may perform that second work completely without Lasix.
"I'll try to maybe not use Lasix," he said. "I think with the kind of form she's in, she'll only need one more work and she'll be ready."
With Monomoy Girl on the sidelines after emerging from her throwdown against Letruska with muscle soreness, Gutierrez said he wishes the mare a speedy recovery and hopes the two can meet again later down the road. Winner of six straight in Mexico, including two top-level events before she came to the U.S., Letruska owns three grade 3 victories, one black-type event, and an allowance optional claiming win here in addition to her recent breakthrough score. She was the champion 3-year-old filly in Mexico in 2019.
CROSBY: Monomoy Girl Sidelined With Muscle Soreness
"Monomoy Girl is one of the greatest mares in history," Gutierrez said. "Of course, to run with her again could be very good for the sport. The most important thing for Letruska was to have the potential to run with these kind of horses. That was my big question mark, did she have the talent to run with these kind of horses? And what can I tell you? She did.
"I have to be honest, I hope Monomoy Girl comes back to the races this year, and we can run again and repeat that kind of race, no matter who wins. Monomoy Girl is a real champion and the sport needs rivalries like that."
