2021 Breeders' Cup Distaff: Letruska maintains strong hold on favoritism
In this season of predictable prep races, it was fitting that the final prep for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff unfolded exactly as expected – heavily favored Letruska leading wire to wire in the Grade 1 Spinster Stakes on Sunday at Keeneland.
Letruska, who has won seven graded stakes at seven tracks over the past year, faces one more challenge Nov. 6 when she races at Del Mar for the first time.
“She came back really good, everything is in order, so we are ready for the Breeders’ Cup,” trainer Fausto Gutierrez said early this week after Letruska solidified her role as Distaff favorite in winning her fourth Grade 1 this year.
The Spinster concluded a prep season in which races often seemed a foregone conclusion. Favorites won the final six Distaff preps, including the Grade 2 Beldame Stakes earlier Sunday at Belmont Park. Royal Flag, odds-on, won by open lengths and will enter the Distaff like many others – off a confidence-building win at a short price. This fall, it was a recurring theme.
Letruska (Spinster), Shedaresthedevil (Grade 3 Locust Grove), Royal Flag (Beldame), Malathaat (Grade 1 Alabama), Clairiere (Grade 1 Cotillion), and Private Mission (Grade 2 Zenyatta) all won final preps as chalk. But front-runner Letruska, in addition to class and form, enters the Distaff with the key element of early speed. Her rivals are at her mercy.
Chad Brown trains Royal Flag and Dunbar Road, the Spinster runner-up. Unfortunately for Brown, his mares are closers. “For both my horses in this race, [hopefully] somebody puts some pressure on Letruska,” he said.
Shedaresthedevil typically is positioned one-two; likewise Beldame runner-up Horologist and Private Mission. Letruska may or may not be loose on the lead in the Distaff. The question is, who will dare pressure the favorite and risk jeopardizing their own chance?
It might not matter for Letruska, whom Gutierrez has trained throughout her 17-for-22 career, which began with six consecutive wins in Mexico City. Gutierrez and jockey Irad Ortiz allow Letruska to exploit her main attributes – speed and stamina.
“I think she runs as fast as she needs to run,” Gutierrez said. “I know she goes to the front, but she’s relaxed. She has the capacity to relax, which I think is very important.”
Letruska ships Oct. 23 from Kentucky to California. Del Mar opens its track for training Oct. 25, and Gutierrez tentatively plans to breeze her once at Del Mar. It will be her only breeze between starts.
“She doesn’t need any more,” he said.
Gutierrez reiterated that Letruska will run in the Distaff, not the Classic.
While the Spinster cemented Letruska as the early Distaff favorite, the Beldame romp by Royal Flag suggested she be taken seriously. Brown looks forward to stretching her out from the one-turn Beldame to the two-turn Distaff.
“She can do both, obviously by her performance [in the Beldame], but I think she’s even more effective around two turns,” Brown said. “She continues to inch along, and getting a little better and a little faster.”
Joel Rosario rides Royal Flag.
Brown will train Royal Flag at Belmont and ship Breeders’ Cup week. Dunbar Road, who rallied from next-to-last finishing second in the Spinster, will remain at Keeneland and also ship late.
Though one can debate if Dunbar Road is good enough, she also has never been better. She earned the highest Beyers of her career in her last two starts. In the Spinster, she ran as well as could be expected under the circumstances.
“She showed a lot of determination to keep trying off that slow pace,” Brown said. “It was a really good effort. I believe if she gets a better pace scenario, she will be right there.”
Flavien Prat rode Dunbar Road her last two starts, a second in the Spinster and a close fourth in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign won by Letruska. Prat is the regular rider for California-based filly Private Mission. Brown said the jockey assignment for Dunbar Road is pending.
Bonny South rallied from last to third in the Spinster. Brad Cox, who trains Bonny South and Distaff early second choice Shedaresthedevil, said this week Distaff plans are pending for Bonny South.
The prospective Distaff field, in order of preliminary odds: Letruska, Shedaresthedevil, Royal Flag, Malathaat, Clairiere, Dunbar Road, Bonny South, Private Mission, Horologist, and Blue Stripe. The status of As Time Goes By is pending.