La Verdad proves fit enough in Distaff
OZONE PARK, N.Y. -- Entering Saturday’s Grade 2 Distaff Handicap at Aqueduct, trainer Linda Rice had a little question mark on the fitness of La Verdad coming in off a 111-day layoff.
That question was answered emphatically in the positive as La Verdad turned aside an early pace challenge from Aireofdistinction before galloping to a 5 1/4-length victory in the $200,000 Distaff.
“I guess she was tight enough,” Rice said.
Frivolity, who scratched out of the Sugar Maple Stakes at Charles Town to run here, outfinished Mamdooha by a neck for second. Aireofdistinction, who bolted approaching the quarter pole, finished last.
La Verdad, a 5-year-old New York-bred daughter of Yes It’s True owned by Sheila Rosenblum, won the Distaff for a second consecutive year. It was her 11th win from 17 career starts and the win pushed her career earnings to $900,700.
La Verdad, who went 6 for 11 in 2014, hadn’t run since finishing last against males in last November’s Grade 3 Fall Highweight Handicap at Aqueduct. Rice turned out the filly for a few months and she was only able to get four workouts into the mare leading up to the race.
Under Jose Ortiz, La Verdad flashed her early speed to open up a quick advantage but was soon tackled by Aireofdistinction through an opening quarter of 22.25 seconds. But before Aireofdistinction could become a true nuisance, she bolted approaching the quarter pole, leaving La Verdad to her own devices. Though she ran an opening half-mile in 44.87 seconds, La Verdad was never threatened in the stretch.
“I wasn’t happy when I saw that horse coming after her and they went 22-and-1, 44-and-change. I was a little concerned that was going to make it a real test on her fitness,” Rice said. "But her ability is the key. She’s got a lot of talent.”
La Verdad covered the six furlongs in 1:10.00 and returned $2.60 as the 1-5 favorite.
Ortiz said the fact Aireofdistinction blew the turn was a help, but he thought she was going to win anyway.
“At the three-eighths pole, I was just cruising, let her do her own thing,” Ortiz said. “At the quarter pole, I asked her to run, hit her a couple of times, and that was it. Linda deserves all the credit. I was just a passenger.”
The Grade 3, $150,000 Vagrancy Handicap at Belmont Park on May 16 is a likely next target for La Verdad, Rice said.