Letruska invades to start 4-year-old campaign

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Letruska brings star power to the Thursday card at Oaklawn Park.

A champion in Mexico after winning two thirds of its Triple Crown for fillies in 2019, she goes in the featured eighth race. The optional $50,000 claiming route is for fillies and mares over 1 1/16 miles.

The field of 12 includes fellow Florida shipper Nonna Madeline, a Grade 2-placed filly stretching out around two turns for the first time, and Santa Anita invader Mongolian Humor.

Letruska, who is 7 for 8, won the first seven starts of her career by a combined margin of 44 3/4 lengths. Her victories included a pair of Group 1 races for 3-year-old fillies last summer, the Clasico Esmeralda and Classico Diamante, both at Hippodromo de las Americas in Mexico City. She made her first start in the United States on Dec. 8, defeating both males and older rivals at 1 1/4 miles in the Copa Invitacional del Caribe at Gulfstream Park.

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“She got in front very easy and it was go and go and go,” said Fausto Gutierrez, who trains Letruska for her breeder, St. George Stable.

“She was a very good filly in Mexico. She’s a filly with a lot of potential.”

Letruska was 6 for 6 in Mexico before coming to the United States. She has flown into Oaklawn for Thursday’s race from her base at the Palm Meadows training center after a suitable overnight race for her 4-year-old debut could not be found for her in Florida.

“The conditions are perfect for her,” Gutierrez said. “It’s a tough race. This is good competition.”

Letruska is moving back to dirt – where she is undefeated – after making her turf debut last out in the $75,000 Tropical Park Oaks on Dec. 21 at Gulfstream. She finished 13th after setting the pace over good ground.

“It was the last race for 3-year-old fillies,” Gutierrez said. “That day, she went in front very fast – and maybe she needs to train more on the turf.”

Gutierrez also believed the “good” ground might not have suited Letruska.

Since the start, she’s turned in a strong series of works.

“She’s in very good form,” said Gutierrez, who has given the mount to Ricardo Santana Jr.

Letruska is a daughter of Super Saver and a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Trigger Warning.

Nonna Madeline invades off a fourth-place finish in the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie on March 14 at Gulfstream. Joe Talamo has the mount for trainer Todd Pletcher.