Letruska runs 'em off their feet in Added Elegance Stakes

Letruska set a lightning-fast pace and still had plenty left in the tank to register an impressive 2 1/2-length decision over 6-5 Nonna Madeline in Saturday’s $60,000 Added Elegance Stakes.

Letruska posted splits of 44.96 seconds for the half and 1:08.20 for six furlongs before completing a mile in 1:35.46 under jockey Emisael Jaramillo, who rode the winner for trainer Fausto Guttierez. The outing was the first locally over the main track for Letruska since a similarly easy win in the Clasico del Caribe Invitacional in December. She earned a career-best 96 Beyer Speed Figure on Saturday.

“Check the fractions she ran today,” said Gutierrez, who sent out Letruska to win for the ninth time in 11 career starts. “With these fractions she can kill any race. She’s a really good horse.”

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◗ There are four stakes on tap for the weekend, three on Saturday, led by the $75,000 Carry Back and its filly counterpart, the $75,000 Azalea. The Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint (Saturday) and the In the Breeze (Sunday), both scheduled on the turf, round out the stakes lineup.

Only 10 3-year-olds were nominated for the seven-furlong Carry Back, led by Kentucky Derby contender Ete Indien. The speedy Bourne along with stakes winners Sound Machine and Spanish Point are tops among the 15 3-year-old fillies on the nomination list for the Azalea.