Shedaresthedevil holds off Letruska in Azeri

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil got her 4-year-old season off to a rousing start Saturday when she fought for a head win over Letruska in the Grade 2, $350,000 Azeri at Oaklawn Park.

It was another two lengths back in third to Getridofwhatailesu.

The Azeri was the first of five stakes on the Rebel Day program. It was also a homecoming of sorts for Shedaresthedevil, who last year won the Honeybee over the local surface to secure enough points to get in the gate for the Kentucky Oaks. In addition, one of her owners is 30-year-old local Staton Flurry. Shedaresthedevil was making her first start since October.

“To get it in my backyard ... that means so much,” Flurry said. “I had a bunch of friends, family come out today.”

Shedaresthedevil ($5.60) broke on top and proceeded to set fractions of 23.93 for the opening quarter, 47.79 for the half-mile and 1:11.65. Into the stretch, Shedaresthedevil continued to lead as Letruska, who was giving five pounds to the winner, mounted a serious bid and cut into the advantage of Shedaresthedevil. But the Kentucky Oaks winner was resilient, and fought to the wire while covering 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:42.57.

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“We caught a flyer out of the gate,” winning rider Florent Geroux told publicity at Oaklawn. “I was expecting Letruska to lead all the way. I don’t know if she didn’t break fast enough or stumbled, but we inherited the lead and I just took it from there. “

Brad Cox trains Shedaresthedevil for the Flurry, Qatar Racing Limited, and Big Aut Farms. He was pleased with the effort he saw from the filly off the layoff.

“She’s a fighter,” Cox said. “I thought she might be getting a little tired. Florent did a good job staying after her down the lane. She was able to hold that other filly off, a very good filly she held off. Hopefully, we can move forward off this.”

Letruska was looking for her third consecutive graded stakes win, behind the Rampart at Gulfstream Park and the Houston Ladies Classic at Sam Houston.

“I thought she ran very good,” trainer Fausto Gutierrez said. “She started off a little bit slow and this changed the pace of the race.

“It was a great race. Small things can make a difference. But anyways, she’s the winner of the Kentucky Oaks. We [gave her] five pounds. It’s a factor. But, congratulations to the winner. We’ll try the next one.”

The Azeri is the final prep for the Grade 1, $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap here April 17.

Shedaresthedevil is a candidate for the Grade 1, $500,000 La Troienne at Churchill Downs, Flurry said. Champion Monomoy Girl is expected for the Apple Blossom. Both horses are trained by Cox.

“Ultimately, it would be great to keep them apart,” Cox said. “Two great fillies, both obviously worthy of running in Grade 1s next time. Really, for both of them the goal is the Breeders’ Cup.”

“We don’t want to knock heads with Monomoy until we have to,” Flurry said.

Shedaresthedevil has now won 6 of 12 starts for earnings of $1.5 million. She is a daughter of Daredevil.

Cox also trains third-place finisher Getridofwhatailesu. Envoutante finished fourth in the Azeri and Motion Emotion was fifth Saturday.