Letruska breezes quick half-mile
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Letruska, the widely presumed filly-mare champion of 2021, breezed for a second time since returning from a freshening when going a half-mile Sunday at the Palm Meadows training center in a bullet 46.80 seconds.
Trainer Fausto Gutierrez has pinpointed the Feb. 26 Royal Delta at Gulfstream Park as the 6-year-old debut for Letruska, whose four Grade 1 wins last year made her an obvious choice for a divisional Eclipse Award. The latest work followed a three-furlong breeze on Jan. 16.
◗ Claudio Gonzalez, the perennial leading trainer in recent years on the Maryland circuit, has sent a small string of horses to Palm Meadows for the first time while maintaining his primary base at Laurel Park.
“It gives you good options in the winter if you have horses for grass, or you can try the Tapeta, it will be good,” said Gonzalez, a 45-year-old Chile native.
◗ The massive videoboard in the Gulfstream infield went into operation during the Sunday races as track management gears up for Pegasus Day with a number of major upgrades to the facility. Other facets of the enhancements, including the entertainment pavilion just north of the paddock runway, is still requiring further work this week.
◗ Beyer Speed Figures from the twin Sunshine races rained off the turf Saturday and onto the Tapeta were 78 for Lure Him In (Sunshine Turf) and 72 for Lovely Luvy (Sunshine Filly and Mare Turf).
◗ Jeff Engler is looking to replenish his stable at Palm Meadows after being informed by his main client, Cleveland mortgage banker Bill Cosgrove of Lea Farms, that they will be splitting in the near future.