Letruska Holds On in Shuvee Stakes

St. George Stable's Letruska was fast early and had just enough late to garner her first graded stakes score in the United States when leading the field from start to finish in the $125,000 Shuvee Stakes (G3) Aug. 30 at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Fausto Gutierrez, Letruska won an early battle for command in the 1 1/8-mile feature and led the strung-out field of fillies and mares into the first turn. Our Super Freak chased in second and reigning Shuvee winner Golden Award was to her outside in third. Jockey Joel Rosario had Letruska relaxed on the front end as the Super Saver  bay led through an opening quarter-mile in :23.05 and the half-mile in :46.20 on the fast main track. 

Around the far turn, Letruska extended her advantage to three lengths through three-quarters in 1:09.51. Rosario did not begin asking his charge until the field hit the quarter pole with several others unleashing their bids. At the eighth pole, Letruska appeared leg weary as stakes-placed Royal Flag and stakes winner Our Super Freak were gaining on the pacesetter to the inside. Both fillies were too little too late as Letruska hung on for a one-length victory in a final time of 1:48.94. A rallying Royal Flag earned the place spot by three-quarters of a length over Our Super Freak. 

Rosario earned a 10th stakes score for the meet, pacing all riders at Saratoga.

"She's fast. She always fires, but at a mile and an eighth, I didn't know," Rosario said. "But she kept fighting. I always planned to have a little more left for the end. It looks like she runs that way, she likes to go. She did it well on her own.

"I thought I would find myself on the lead and hopefully have a little left at the end. She's super fast. If I asked her, she'd probably go (a half-mile) in :45. She relaxed nicely. I put my hands down and she was really calm and happy. It was a very good performance."

Letruska, a last-out fifth in the Ballerina Stakes (G1) Aug. 8 at the Spa, picked up a third victory during her 2020 campaign. She took an allowance optional claiming event at Oaklawn Park in April and the Added Elegance Stakes at Gulfstream Park two starts back. She won group 1 races in Mexico last year when taking the Clasico Esmeralda (G1) and Clasico Diamante (G1) by open lengths, both at Hipodromo De Las Americas.

Gutierrez said he tried to get his filly into the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) Nov. 7 at Keeneland by running her in the Ballerina, which awarded the winner, Serengeti Empress, a berth into the World Championship event.

"After the last race in Miami, when she went in :23 and :44 in the one-mile race, I had the idea she could come to seven furlongs," Gutierrez said. "I tried to go to the Breeders' Cup with her. I know it's a big jump, bigger step, and the Ballerina was the only race to give me that perception. That was a very difficult race, and the filly was very nervous here in the paddock."

Gutierrez said Letruska was more relaxed Sunday in the paddock and relished the added distance. 

"She went very fast in the beginning, but at the end she had horse. At the start, she didn't get the best jump," Gutierrez said. "The first jump was a little bit slow, but after that she started to improve—:23 and :46, I think that's perfect. She's a filly that needs speed and distance. This is obvious in her races here and in Mexico. In Mexico, she doesn't have the big competition, but she made very good times. I think this is the kind of race she can run. I don't know how many fillies can go with her in :46. Today, she was perfect in the paddock."

The win gave Gutierrez faith that Letruska has what it takes for the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1), and he said he would likely point for the Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (G1) Oct. 4 at Keeneland. The Spinster winner will earn an automatic berth in the Distaff.

"I think the next step would be at Keeneland in a grade 1 for the Breeders' Cup. Two turns is perfect for her," Gutierrez said. 

Returning $9.30 as the second choice for a $2 win bet, Letruska improved her record to 10-0-1 from 13 starts, with a bulk of her victories in Mexico. She improved her earnings to $243,539. 

Completing the order of finish were Golden Award, Lucky Stride, Bellera, Another Broad, Nonna Madeline, and Lucky Move. 

A Kentucky homebred, Letruska is out of the Successful Appeal broodmare Magic Appeal, also the dam of stakes winner and grade 1-placed Trigger Warning and stakes-placed American Doll.