Letruska, Shedaresthedevil big names in scratch-reduced Ogden Phipps Stakes
ELMONT, N.Y. - The complexion of the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps on Saturday’s Belmont Stakes undercard changed dramatically when Grade 1 winners Swiss Skydiver and Valiance, both key players in the race, were scratched after spiking temperatures earlier in the week.
The late defections leaves a field of just five fillies and mares led by Letruska and Shedaresthedevil, each of whom is coming off a Grade 1 win.
The remainder of the field for the 1 1/16-mile Phipps is Bonny South, Queen Nekia, and Water White.
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Letruska withstood a torrid stretch duel with Monomoy Girl to win the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn by a nose for her first Grade 1 win. The question is can she bounce back with a similar performance off that strenuous effort while also facing the prospect of getting plenty of pace pressure from Shedaresthedevil.
Letruska has won three of four starts since trainer Fausto Gutierrez removed her blinkers following a poor showing in the Grade 2 Beldame Invitational here last October.
“After we took the blinkers off, she had more chance to relax, she’s been more competitive,” Gutierrez said.
Shedaresthedevil is one of two horses trainer Brad Cox will run in the Phipps along with Bonnie South. Shedaresthedevil has put together a strong streak of her own dating back a year, having won five of her six starts over that period, including the Kentucky Oaks last September and the Grade 1 La Troienne at Churchill Downs on April 30. She also held off Letruska to capture Oaklawn’s Grade 2 Azeri in her 2021 debut in March.
“She’s really moved forward from 3 to 4, and was able to keep her head in front of Letruska in her first start as a 4-year-old earlier this year,” said Cox.
Bonny South, runner-up to Swiss Skydiver in the 2020 Alabama, could prove the sleeper. She rallied to win the Grade 3 Doubledogdare at Keeneland returning after a near five-month absence in her lone start this season. Bonny South went stride for stride with Derby favorite Essential Quality working five furlongs in 59.40 last weekend at Churchill Downs, and proved best of the pair on the gallop-out.
Queen Nekia is a well-travelled sort who opened her 2021 campaign by registering a 29-1 upset in the Grade 3 Royal Delta at Gulfstream Park, rallying from last to a 1 ¾-length victory for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. She finished a non-threatening fourth in the Top Flight Invitational at Aqueduct in her only other start this season.
Water White has been lightly raced since finishing a distant third in the Grade 1 Acorn here a year ago. She returned from a nine-month layoff to win a second-level allowance race in the slop earlier this spring at Aqueduct before turning in another big effort when second in the Grade 2 Ruffian on May 2.