Leslie's Rose

Leslie’s Rose was purchased by Mandy Pope’s Whisper Hill Farm for $1.15 million as a yearling at the 2022 Keeneland September sale. The Into Mischief filly lived up to her high price in her first start on Nov. 19, 2023 at Aqueduct, rolling to a 9 ¼-length win in a 6 ½-furlong sprint.

Leslie’s Rose returned for a 3-year-old campaign and overcame a poor start to win a seven-furlong allowance optional claiming race by a length Jan. 11 at Gulfstream Park. That set her up for a stakes debut in the Grade 2 Davona Dale Stakes going one mile March 2 at Gulfstream, where Leslie’s Rose finished third as the 3-10 favorite.

Coming off of that defeat, she was overlooked by bettors in her next start, a loaded renewal of the Grade 1 Central Bank Ashland Stakes April 4 at Keeneland. The filly rebounded in her first start around two turns, winning the 1 1/16-mile stakes with a top-of-the-stretch surge under regular jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. and keeping 2023 champion filly Just F Y I at bay by three lengths to improve to three-for-four in her career. She earned 100 qualifying points to the May 3 Longines Kentucky Oaks with the victory.

Leslie’s Rose is out of the unraced Galileo mare Wildwood Rose, who is a half-sister to Florida Derby winner Materiality and Grade 2 winner, Kentucky Oaks runner-up, and Grade 1 producer  My Miss Sophia.