Letruska Looks to Retain Spinster Crown Over Malathaat

After beginning 2022 on a resounding note with clear victories in the Royal Delta Stakes (G3) and Apple Blossom Handicap (G1), the remainder of Letruska 's 6-year-old campaign has hit a more somber tone. The 2021 champion older dirt female failed to repeat in the Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1), where she was fifth, and most recently in the Aug. 27 Personal Ensign Handicap (G1), where she led until being passed at the quarter pole by Malathaat  and Search Results  to check in third.

Back at Keeneland, a track she has traditionally thrived at for trainer Fausto Gutierrez, Letruska will take on a short field of five Oct. 9 in the $600,000 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (G1).

St. George Stable's Letruska captured last year's Spinster in frontrunning fashion as her final prep for the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1). The $3 million earner yielded readily in last year's Breeders' Cup Distaff after engaging in a suicidal speed duel early.

After her Personal Ensign showing, Letruska has trained encouragingly at Churchill Downs, clocking a :59.80 five-furlongs Oct. 2. The rangy daughter of Super Saver   will be ridden for the first time by Tyler Gaffalione in Sunday's 1 1/8-mile race, replacing regular rider Jose Ortiz.

An irrefutable frontrunner, Letruska could face some pressure early in the Spinster from Rigney Racing's Played Hard . The Philip Bauer trainee typically races on or near the lead. She enters the Spinster off a 5 3/4-length romp in the Sept. 17 Locust Grove Stakes (G3) at Churchill, a race in which she rated just off the pacesetter.

Drawn outside Letruska, jockey Joel Rosario may opt for similar tactics aboard Played Hard.

"(The Locust Grove was the race) we've always been waiting for with her," Bauer said of the improving Into Mischief   filly. "She's always showed a bunch of ability and ever since we put her around two-turns she's just been a different horse."

Bauer isn't too concerned about the quick turnaround for Played Hard.

"We were back and forth about the Spinster. (Coming back in) three weeks. But it seems like there was more in the tank there and with the timing, there wasn't a lot left so we figured we'd try the Spinster, take a swing at the Breeders' Cup, or either way for the Falls City (G2)."

The Spinster would mark the first time Played Hard has faced grade 1 opposition since a disappointing fifth-place effort in the 2021 Alabama Stakes (G1) behind race favorite Malathaat.

The champion 3-year-old filly of 2021 signaled her return to the top of her division with a gutsy Personal Ensign triumph. In only her second start since being outfitted with blinkers, the 4-year-old daughter of Curlin   defeated a quality field of older fillies and mares for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher for her fourth grade 1 victory.

Ridden by John Velasquez, who has piloted Malathaat in her last eight trips to the post, Malathaat sports a 2-for-2 record over the Keeneland strip, annexing the Central Bank Ashland Stakes (G1) as a sophomore and taking the Baird Doubledogdare Stakes (G3) in her 4-year-old debut.

Multiple graded stakes winner Army Wife  and Mark Dedomenico's Princess of Cairo  complete the lineup for the Sunday's race.

The winner of the Spinster will receive an all-expense paid berth to the Nov. 5 Breeders' Cup Distaff at Keeneland as part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series.

Entries: Juddmonte Spinster S. (G1)

Keeneland, Sunday, October 09, 2022, Race 9

• Grade I
• 1 1/8m
• Dirt
• $600,000
• 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 5:45 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Malathaat (KY)	John R. Velazquez	124	Todd A. Pletcher	3/5
2	2Army Wife (KY)	Luis Saez	124	Michael J. Maker	15/1
3	3Letruska (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	124	Fausto Gutierrez	5/2
4	4Played Hard (KY)	Joel Rosario	124	Philip A. Bauer	3/1
5	5Princess of Cairo (KY)	Geovanni Franco	124	Michael Puhich	30/1