NY-Bred La Verdad Joins Millionaire Ranks
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Overwhelming favorite La Verdad led at every point of call and won the $100,000 Dancin Renee Stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares by 7 1/4 lengths June 28 at Belmont Park, pushing her earnings past the $1 million mark.
Guided by regular rider Jose Ortiz, La Verdad broke on top and led six rivals through an opening quarter-mile in :22.91, with the half going in :45.85 over a sloppy, sealed track. The muscular bay mare blew away her overmatched opponents in the stretch and rolled clear of the field for the dominant victory as the 1-9 favorite.
Never going to the whip, Ortiz gave his mare a well-deserved pat on the neck as he spoke highly of La Verdad, who is trained by Linda Rice for Lady Sheila Stables.
"She broke well, and I just went out there and she did what she needed to do," Ortiz said. "She handles a sloppy track great all the time, so I'm very happy with her. Linda brought her in at 100%."
La Verdad was timed in 1:10:57 for the six furlongs, earning her 13th win and eighth stakes victory from 20 career starts. Also winner of last year's Dancing Renee, she increased her lifetime bankroll to $1,050,700 with the $60,000 winner's share in this year's edition.
Another stakes start at Saratoga Race Course seems to be the likely next race for the newly-minted millionaire.
"I was happy she won easily as she did because, frankly, this is a race we were just trying to use to get her to Saratoga in better condition than we were last year, going toward the Honorable Miss (gr. II, July 29) and hopefully the Ballerina (gr. I, Aug. 29)," Rice said.
La Verdad ($2.10) tallied her third straight stakes win in as many starts and entered the Dancin Renee off a gritty half-length victory in the Vagrancy (gr. III) May 16 at Belmont. The 5-year-old daughter of Yes It's True has six wins from seven starts over the Belmont track.
Make the Moment was a neck ahead of third-place finisher Miss Da Point.
La Verdad was bred by Eklektikos Stable from the stakes-placed Hook and Ladder mare Noble Fire.