Letruska Romps Over Bonny South in Ogden Phipps
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Photo: Skip Dickstein
Letruska takes the Ogden Phipps Stakes at Belmont Park
No Lasix, no problem for St. George Stable's Letruska .
Racing for the first time in the United States without the diuretic used to control respiratory bleeding, the speedy Super Saver mare led from start to finish to post a 2 3/4-length victory over Bonny South in the June 5, $500,000 Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park | BloodHorse.com Track Profile">Belmont Park. Pace-chasing Shedaresthedevil ran third, another length back.
Lasix is prohibited within 48 hours of all stakes races at New York Racing Association tracks per NYRA's commitment to eliminating race-day medication. Some other prominent racing jurisdictions also have banned its use in stakes, and Lasix will not be permitted at the Breeders' Cup this fall.
"All of the other fillies had raced before with that situation, without Lasix. This was her first time," said trainer Fausto Gutierrez. "She's not a bleeder, really. But it was a question mark, especially with this heat, how she would respond. But she ran great."
Letruska's performance in the Phipps was equal, if not superior, to her last-out victory when she upset champion Monomoy Girl in the April 17 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) at Oaklawn Park. In the latter race, she received six pounds from Monomoy Girl, and both were treated with Lasix, which remains allowed in most stakes races in Arkansas. Saturday, Letruska carried high weight of 122 pounds as did Shedaresthedevil, the other grade 1 winner in the field of five.
The Phipps was the second meeting between Letruska and Shedaresthedevil this year after the Daredevil filly had beaten Letruska by a head in the Azeri Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn. The Phipps unfolded differently than the Azeri when Letruska was away slowly and had to play catch-up to front-running Shedaresthedevil.
This time under Jose Ortiz, Letruska took the initiative, her preferred style, leading by a half-length over Shedaresthedevil and jockey Florent Geroux through fractions of :23.49 and :46.76, before opening up three lengths with six furlongs in 1:10.26.
Letruska turns for home with plenty of run in the Ogden Phipps Stakes
At that point, Shedaresthedevil, along with the three other fillies and mares in the race, couldn't keep up. Letruska was five lengths in front in midstretch and though she tired somewhat in the closing furlong, she had enough left to prevail comfortably. She raced 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:41.25, paying $4.40 as the favorite.
"She was breaking a little bit slow, but she broke good today. I was able to put her on the lead and make the other horses chase me," Ortiz said. "Florent—if he wanted to beat me—he had to run with me. She couldn't keep up with me by the three-eighths pole. When I looked back and saw her three lengths behind me, I was very happy.
"It was very impressive. She's a very nice mare."
Letruska is alone at the wire in the Ogden Phipps Stakes
Ortiz subbed as the jockey aboard Letruska with his brother, Irad Ortiz Jr., sidelined with minor injuries after having been unseated in a race June 3 at Belmont.
The Phipps is the eighth victory in the U.S. for Letruska, who won her first six starts in Mexico before being imported to race in this country.
Shedaresthedevil, winner of last year's Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) and the April 30 La Troienne Stakes Presented by TwinSpires.com (G1), tried to keep up but couldn't.
"I went out there and got my (butt) kicked—simple as that," Geroux said. "That filly was superior. I was right beside her, and at the half-mile, my filly couldn't keep up with her.
"The day we were able to beat her, she broke a step slow and maybe we got lucky. It could be the one turn. Maybe next time around two turns, she'll be able to go with her."
Bonny South kicked into gear from fourth down the lane to grab second, and Shedaresthedevil was 10 1/4 lengths clear of Queen Nekia in fourth. Water White was last of the five.
Juddmonte Farm's Bonny South earned her second grade 1-placing, having run second in last summer's Alabama Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course. She has won grade 2 and grade 3 stakes.
Trainer Brad Cox trains the second- and third-place finishers.
Grade 1 winners Valiance and Swiss Skydiver , the latter the champion 3-year-old filly of last year, were scratched after spiking temperatures in the days leading up to the race, their trainers announced.
Asked if he would have liked to face those two classy fillies for the sake of competition, Gutierrez said no—obviously happy to have the best chance possible to win.
"If I tell you something opposite, it's false," he said.
He might get an opportunity to face them later in the year, perhaps in the Breeders' Cup. The Phipps was a "Win & You're In" qualifier for the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) at Del Mar Nov. 6. Valiance and Swiss Skydiver were second and seventh, respectively, in that same race last fall when it was held at Keeneland.
Fausto Gutierrez leads Letruska into the winner's circle at Belmont Park
Bred in Kentucky but campaigned in Mexico through her first six starts, Letruska moved back to the United States in December 2019 and has steadily developed for St. George, an operation owned by Germán Larrea Mota-Velasco. She has earned more than $1.4 million
Letruska is out of the grade 2-placed Successful Appeal mare Magic Appeal , dam of 10 foals, seven to race, and five winners. Three of her foals are stakes horses, topped by Letruska and Trigger Warning , a stakes winner of $555,378 who placed in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx Racing in 2018. The mare also has a 2-year-old named Ocotzingo (Hard Spun ), an unnamed yearling colt by Arrogate , and a Malibu Moon filly foaled this year.