2021 Breeders' Cup Clocker Report for Friday, Oct. 29: Letruska star of the show
Oct. 29, 2021
Del Mar
Weather: Sunny
Temp.: 58°
Track: Fast
DEL MAR, Calif. – Just a week out from the first day of the 2021 Breeders’ Cup and things remain relatively quiet at Del Mar, this year’s host site, with the majority of contenders in the 14 races to be decided over a two-day period here next weekend opting to complete their final major preparations for the event at their home tracks before descending en masse here early next week.
Among those who got to town early, there is little doubt Letruska is the current star of the show as she looks to complete a nearly perfect campaign with a victory as the odds-on favorite in the Distaff. She was one of a number of Breeders’ Cup hopefuls who caught the eye on a clear and crisp Friday morning that included diverse works from stablemates Loves Only You and March Lorraine.
Loves Only You (Filly and Mare Turf) came out on the track immediately after the renovation break along with March Lorraine but did not begin her breeze until nearly 30 minutes later. Breaking off at a leisurely pace from the half-mile pole, the multiple Group 1 winner cruised an opening quarter in 25.99 before coming down the lane in a crisp 22.96 under just some nudging pressure before galloping out five furlongs in 1:02.32.
She finished full of run while not appearing to be going that fast in a solid move on the dirt for a mare whose action is clearly that of a turf specialist.
March Lorraine (Distaff) was the first of the Yoshito Yahagi-trained stablemates to breeze, covering the final half of an official five furlong drill in 26.70 and 51.20 while striding a bit awkwardly over the local surface with little energy at all on the gallop-out. She faces a formidable task against Letruska and the others in the Distaff.
Letruska, who had a relatively easy morning Thursday when sent out early to pony rather than gallop by trainer Fausto Gutierrez, was back on her regular schedule Friday, going to the track late, as usual, about 15 minutes before training hours ended at 9:30 a.m.
With her now regular exercise rider Roger Horgan aboard, she visited the paddock before galloping nearly 1 1/2 miles, looking very relaxed and happy getting over the local strip, her ears up as she passed through the wire the second time around. She is scheduled to have her final Breeders’ Cup breeze at approximately the same time on Saturday.
Shortly before Letruska did her thing, Art Collector hit the track making a phenomenal appearance in advance of next week’s Classic. Art Collector turned in a strong but very controlled gallop, neck bowed, giving every indication he is maintaining his perfect recent form punctuated by his victory in the Grade 1 Woodward less than four weeks earlier.
Hot Rod Charlie, another major player in the Classic, also had a good morning two-minute licking, in what is typical fashion for Doug O’Neill trainees, around the final bend and down the lane while cruising past Juvenile Fillies favorite Echo Zulu along the way.
It’s hard to get a really good look at any of the action that takes place in the dark before dawn breaks around 6:30 a.m. locally, but it was hard not to take notice of another top Filly and Mare Turf candidate, Going to Vegas, who was dragging her rider through the dark while full of run down the stretch and all the way back around the clubhouse turn. She is another here obviously holding good form and peaking at the right time while on a three-race winning streak of her own entering this year’s Breeders’ Cup.