Aqueduct: La Verdad tries open company for new owner

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – La Verdad has a new owner, but her trainer is hoping for the same old result when the speedy New York-bred filly ventures into open company for the first time in Thursday’s $72,000 allowance feature at Aqueduct.

La Verdad, a 3-year-old daughter of Yes It’s True, brings a three-race winning streak into Thursday’s six-furlong dash, her second start off a seven-month layoff precipitated by a cellulitis infection suffered in her May 8 win over a muddy Belmont track. In her return, on Nov. 7 at Aqueduct, La Verdad sped to an 8 3/4-length victory in a second-level New York-bred allowance race that produced next-out winners Hot Stones and Miss Da Point.

La Verdad was entered in the $100,000 Touch of Love Stakes for New York-breds on Dec. 6, but was scratched when a private sale was finalized between the time of entry and race day. Sheila Rosenblum, who races under the name Lady Sheila Stable, purchased the filly privately from owner/breeder Eklektikos Stable. The filly remained with Rice.

“This is the most logical spot, she’s doing very well,” Rice said. “It’s been a difficult week [training] with the weather, but she’s coming up to the race in very good shape.”

La Verdad’s only loss came in her career debut – her only other start over Aqueduct’s inner track. Rice said she was “shocked” La Verdad lost that day, adding “the light bulb went on and she’s been good ever since.”

La Verdad will break from post 2 under Jose Ortiz. La Verdad may have to deal with pace pressure from Cubicle Queen, who returns to the races off a 10-month layoff after being basically eased in the Dearly Precious Stakes over the inner track last Feb. 17.

Trainer Charlton Baker said Cubicle Queen has typically been a bad bleeder and she bled through Lasix in the Dearly Precious. He took her out of training in May, and she resumed in the fall. So far, according to Baker, things have gone well – that is until he saw La Verdad in this field.

“I didn’t want to meet her first time back, I didn’t expect her to be in there,” said Baker, who has the five-pound apprentice Mallory Strandberg to ride.

Speaking of Cubicle Queen’s training for this race, Baker said, “We haven’t really pushed her in the morning, just got her fit enough to run.”

Should a pace battle develop, that could benefit Superior Sarah, a 5-year-old New York-bred mare who is seeking her first win in two years. Superior Sarah, trained by Tom Albertrani, was beaten a neck by Merry Meadow in this condition on Dec. 4. Prior to that, Superior Sarah finished behind the likes of Five Star Momma and Ullapool in second-level allowance races at Belmont. Five Star Momma has since come back to win two stakes, while Ullapool took the Garland of Roses last out.

Darling Bridezilla and Seasoned Warrior are two other contenders in the field.