Taraz romps over sloppy track in Letellier Stakes

Taraz looked good winning her career debut at Churchill, capturing a maiden sprint race by more than seven lengths. She looked even better Saturday at Fair Grounds coasting to a 11 1/4-length score in the $75,000 Letellier Stakes.

Taraz ran six furlongs over a sloppy track in 1:10.83 and after getting a brief and mild turn challenge from Ursula, who had looked good in her own right winning a Nov. 30 Fair Grounds maiden, Taraz buried her four rivals in the Letellier. Florent Geroux asked for next to nothing as Taraz gave him plenty. Ursula was left reeling in her wake while finishing 3 3/4 lengths clear of Sweet Kisses.

Taraz, a Juddmonte Farms homebred, is by Into Mischief out of Silk Route, by Empire Maker, and she is an absolutely massive specimen, standing tall and covering huge swaths of ground with a long stride. She’s quick, as evidenced by her pair of sprint wins, but has the pedigree and scope to run long.

“If she can carry her speed, who knows,” Geroux said. “She’s big and classy and has a great mind.”

Trainer Brad Cox doesn’t seem keen on racing Taraz in January, and his filly for the Rachel Alexandra Stakes here in February is British Idiom, who’s scheduled to have her first breeze next weekend since winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Cox and Juddmonte could wind up looking to Oaklawn, perhaps for a race like the Martha Washington over one mile, depending on how things shake out.

“For her to be 2 for 2 around one turn says a lot about her ability,” said Cox.

Taraz has led in both her wins and hasn’t been required to do much real racing. Talent alone has so far proven sufficient, but Taraz has the pedigree, the ability, and the disposition to be elite.