La Verdad stretches out to mile for Critical Eye

ELMONT, N.Y. – Arguably the top female New York-bred sprinter in training, La Verdad will attempt to stretch out her speed to a mile when she tops a nine-horse field entered in Saturday’s $200,000 Critical Eye Stakes at Belmont Park.

La Verdad, a 4-year-old daughter of Yes It’s True, has won 7 of 9 career starts – including the Grade 2 Distaff on April 19 at Aqueduct – but all of her victories have come at six furlongs.

“She trains like a horse that will get the mile, but you only know when you run them,” trainer Linda Rice said. “I think against the right company, she’ll get the mile. Will she win graded stakes at a mile? Maybe not.”

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Rice had the option of running La Verdad in the Grade 3, $150,000 Vagrancy Handicap going 6 1/2 furlongs here May 17 but said she felt her filly needed more time between races.

“She just wasn’t quite ready to run when they ran the last one here,” said Rice, who trains La Verdad for Sheila Rosenblum’s Lady Sheila Stable.

In her only try beyond six furlongs, La Verdad finished second in the Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie, a seven-furlong race at Laurel Park in February. Rice said La Verdad might have been compromised in that race by poor weather, which affected her ability to train the filly up to that race.

“She certainly didn’t embarrass herself there,” Rice said.

La Verdad will break from post 5 under Jose Ortiz and the high weight of 123 pounds. She is spotting two to six pounds to the field.

If La Verdad can’t get the mile, then perhaps Miss Da Point can spring the upset. Miss Da Point has won five of her last seven starts, including two allowances in one-turn, one-mile races.

“She’s much improved,” trainer John Toscano said. “As a 3-year-old, she really didn’t want to go this far. As she got older, she more or less blended into the mile. Now, she does it no problem. The big question mark is if Linda Rice’s filly can get the mile. She’s lone speed. I see nothing that can run with her.”

Princess Mara, claimed for $40,000 by Pat Quick and Paradise Farm last out, looks like the most likely candidate to attempt to apply early pressure. Princess Mara is ridden by Taylor Rice, the niece of Linda.

Macha, a New York-bred based in Southern California with Jerry Hollendorfer, has shipped in following a last-place finish in the Grade 1 Santa Margarita.

Sunny Desert, Hot Stones, Lady Gracenote, Carameaway, and Tahoe Tigress complete the field.