Champion Letruska Returns in Royal Delta

Letruska 's first test in defense of her championship 2021 season begins Feb. 26 when she returns in the $150,000 Royal Delta Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

Last year's Eclipse Award-winning older dirt female, St. George Stable's Letruska won six of eight starts in 2021, including four grade 1s. Her only losses were a close second in the spring to Shedaresthedevil  in the Azeri Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park after she broke slowly, and a 10th-place finish this past fall in the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) at Del Mar. In California, she grew fatigued after engaging in a speed duel in the final stop of a long campaign.

"After 13 months of travel, maybe she wasn't the same horse," trainer Fausto Gutierrez said.

The conditions of the Royal Delta play to her strengths. Though there is some opposing speed in the 1 1/16-mile race, none of her rivals appear quick enough to keep pace with Letruska, a front-running 6-year-old Super Saver   mare. The race also ends at what is typically the sixteenth pole, leaving closers with a short stretch to try to catch her.

Letruska is 3-for-3 on the Gulfstream Park's main track, having first taken the Copa Invitacional del Caribe in 2019 and adding the 2020 Added Elegance Stakes and Rampart Stakes (G3).

But it was after those wins that she rose to become one of the dominant female horses in the United States after an initial championship in Mexico.

"It is very important. This is a horse that took all the steps to a championship. She came from a foreign country and arrived here. She took it step by step and finally last year she won six graded races, four grade 1," Gutierrez said. "She's a great horse."

Letruska returns after a series of fast workouts at Palm Meadows Training Center in South Florida. Jose Ortiz rides.

"She can still run because she's in very good condition. I think this is the perfect spot to come back," Gutierrez said.

Gutierrez indicated she will likely pursue a title defense in the April 23 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) at Oaklawn after the Royal Delta.

Phoenix Thoroughbred III's Crazy Beautiful  also kicks off her year Saturday. Last year as a 3-year-old she won four races, including the 2021 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2). She last raced Nov. 26 in the Comely Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack, finishing third.

"She's won here going two turns, so I thought it was the best next step," trainer Kenny McPeek said. 

The Liam's Map   filly also won the Summertime Oaks (G2) at Santa Anita Park and Delaware Oaks (G3) last season.

"She's just been a good filly all around. She's close to winning a million dollars," McPeek said. "She's done well here this winter."

Corey Lanerie is aboard Crazy Beautiful.

Augustin Stable's Into Vanishing , Arindel's Key Biscayne , Steven Dwoskin's Helping Lisa D , Robert Baron's Family Time , and Franco Meli's Il Malocchio  complete the field.

Entries: Royal Delta S. (G3)

Gulfstream Park, Saturday, February 26, 2022, Race 6

• Grade III
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $150,000
• 4 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 2:27 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Il Malocchio (ON)	Javier Castellano	120	Martin Drexler	8/1
2	2Into Vanishing (KY)	Junior Alvarado	118	Jonathan Thomas	12/1
3	3Crazy Beautiful (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	120	Kenneth G. McPeek	4/1
4	4Family Time (KY)	Emisael Jaramillo	118	Dale L. Romans	30/1
5	5Key Biscayne (FL)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	120	Juan Alvarado	20/1
6	6Letruska (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	123	Fausto Gutierrez	2/5
7	7Helping Lisa D (KY)	Paco Lopez	120	Steven Dwoskin	15/1