Streaking La Verdad Wins Gallant Bloom
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Susie Raisher
La Verdad takes the Gallant Bloom Handicap over Wavell Avenue.
Lady Sheila Stable's La Verdad, favored at odds of 1-2, went wire-to-wire in the $300,000 Gallant Bloom Handicap (gr. III) at Belmont Park Sept. 26, stretching her unbeaten streak to five for the year.
The 5-year-old New York-bred daughter of Yes It's True held for a half-length score over Wavell Avenue, getting the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.16 on a fast track under Jose Ortiz. Dame Dorothy was 1 1/2 lengths back in third and Room for Me was another length back in fourth.
It's been a banner week for owner Sheila Rosenblum, trainer Linda Rice, and Noble Fire, the dam of La Verdad. They combined for a score last weekend in the $400,000 Charles Town Oaks (gr. III) in West Virginia with Hot City Girl (by City Zip ). Rice also trained Noble Fire to two wins and a stakes-placing against state-breds for Eklektikos Stable.
La Verdad went immediately to the front in the Gallant Bloom, cruising through an opening quarter-mile in :22.76 and a half-mile in :45.04. Ortiz peeked behind him on the turn, signaling his mount had the field well in hand. She hit six furlongs in 1:08.78.
"I thought she broke just a tip flat-footed today," Rice said. "She's usually much quicker away from there, but she hadn't run in a while. I've had to work hard to get her here and we lost some time, but I think this race will do her a lot of good. She'll move forward and will be harder to beat next time."
"She took the lead easy," Ortiz added. "I had a little pressure from the outside, but after that she settled down and she was fine."
Wavell Avenue, who was inside while near the back of the seven-horse field, came around horses in the stretch to finish well but was unable to catch the winner.
La Verdad now has a 7-1-0 record in eight starts at Belmont and has an overall 15-2-0 slate from 21 career starts. She won the Gallant Bloom under high weight of 123 pounds after dropping last year's running by a head to Artemis Agrotera; her wins this year have come in the Distaff Handicap (gr. II) in April, the Vagrancy Handicap (gr. III) in May, the Dancin Renee Stakes over state-breds in June and the grade II Honorable Miss Handicap at Saratoga Race Course last out in July.
Bred by Eklektikos Stable and purchased privately by Rosenblum, La Verdad paid $3.10, $2.50, and $2.10. Wavell Avenue returned $6.70 and $3.20. Dame Dorothy paid $2.90 to show. The $2 exacta paid $18.20.