Letruska

Letruska, a Super Saver filly owned and bred by St. George Stable, began her racing career in Mexico where she won all six of her starts, including two stakes races. In December 2019, Letruska participated in the Clasico del Caribe racecard at Gulfstream Park offered to horses based in Latin America, and won the Copa Invatacional del Caribe by a dominant 4 ¼ lengths.

She remained in the U.S. after that victory and won two of her next four starts, including another stakes race at Gulfstream in June 2020. Trainer Fausto Gutierrez brought the filly to Saratoga for major stakes races in July, and Letruska finished fifth in the Grade 1 Ballerina Stakes prior to posting a breakthrough win in the Grade 3 Shuvee Stakes, scoring by length in the 1 1/8-mile race under Joel Rosario.

After setting the pace and fading to fourth in the Grade 2 Beldame Invitational Oct. 4 at Belmont, Letruska cut back to a mile for the Grade 3 Rampart Stakes Dec. 12 at Gulfstream Park and led from start to finish in a runaway victory. The mare began her 5-year-old season with another impressive win, taking the Grade 3 Sam Houston Ladies Classic in similar front-running fashion by 3 ½ lengths on Jan. 31, 2021.

Letruska won her first Grade 1 race in the Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park on Apr. 17, defeating champions Monomoy Girl and Swiss Skydiver. She set the pace under Irad Ortiz Jr, then fought back in the stretch to win a photo finish with Monomoy Girl. She covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.14. 

On June 5, Letruska earned another Grade 1 win, taking the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Stakes at Belmont Park. She went gate-to-wire, running 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.25. With that win, she guaranteed herself a spot in the starting gate for the Grade 1 Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff at Del Mar on Nov. 6 as part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series. She added another notch in her belt in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis Stakes at Churchill Downs on June 26, where she once again went gate-to-wire. 

Letruska was given two months before her next start as she returned Aug 28 at Saratoga Race Course for the Grade 1 Personal Ensign Stakes Presented by Lia Infiniti. She retained her elite form in the Personal Ensign as the 0.75-1 favorite as she took control entering the first turn and held on gamely in the stretch to win by a half-length from Bonny South with Royal Flag and Dunbar Road also closing resolutely. In her final prep for the Breeders' Cup, Letruska led every step of the way in an open-length win in the Grade 1 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes Oct. 10 at Keeneland.

Based on her impressive season, Letruska went off as the favorite in the Grade 1 Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff at Del Mar on Nov. 6. She rated off an extremely fast pace, and had nothing left by the time they entered the stretch.

Despite a disappointing effort in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, Letruska’s overall 2021 campaign garnered her plenty of support from voters at the Eclipse Awards, and she was honored as champion older dirt female.

Letruska made her 2022 debut in the Grade 3 Royal Delta Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 26. Sent off as the overwhelming 0.10-1 favorite, she made the lead easily and cruised around the track to an easy win, while never being asked for run by jockey Jose Ortiz. 

In her next start, Letruska was sent off as the favorite in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn on Apr. 23. She faced a formidable field which included fellow Eclipse champion Ce Ce and grade 1 winners Clairiere and Maracuja. Letruska broke alertly, set the early pace, and withstood stretch challenges from Ce Ce and Clairiere to win by 1 1/4 lengths. She became the fourth horse to win the Apple Blossom multiple times, joining Paseana, Azeri, and Zenyatta. 

Off of that win, Letruska was sent off as the 3-4 favorite in the Ogden Phipps Stakes June 11 at Belmont Park. Running against four high-quality opponents, the mare set a pressured early pace but could not sustain it midway through the single turn in the one-mile race, and was eased late en route to a last-place finish.

Letruska is out of the Grade 2-placed winning Successful Appeal mare Winning Appeal and is a half-sister to Grade 1-placed stakes winner Trigger Warning. Other notable family members include Grade 1 winner J P’s Gusto and Canadian champion sprinter Miss Mischief.