Letruska Outduels Monomoy Girl in Apple Blossom

The Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) delivered the electrifying stretch duel that was expected from a $1 million race featuring two champions.

At the top of the long stretch at Oaklawn Park, Monomoy Girl forged to a slim lead but could not draw off as the rival inside of her stuck to her like a piece of Velcro.

The two distaff runners then engaged in an epic clash to the wire as the determined mare on the inside would not back down after being passed by the two-time Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) winner. In the final strides, she stuck her nose in front, and in the last, dramatic bob at the wire, she prevailed by inches over the game and classy Monomoy Girl.

It was an instant classic.

But not the result most observers expected.

The April 17 Apple Blossom was assumed to produce a thriller of a stretch duel between Monomoy Girl and 2020 Preakness Stakes (G1) winner and 3-year-old champion filly Swiss Skydiver . But as that filly fell back to a distant third in the stretch, at the wire it was St. George Stable’s Letruska , a grade 1 winner in Mexico, who beat dual champion Monomoy Girl by a nose to register an upset that seemed far greater than the winner’s 3-1 odds on the toteboard.

“I never dreamed of running at Saratoga and now we won the Apple Blossom. I need to wake up,” said trainer Fausto Gutierrez. “It’s so sensational. This sport is incredible and this is an example of why.”

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Bred in Kentucky but campaigned in Mexico through her first seven starts, Letruska moved back to the United States in December of 2019 and became a multiple grade 3 winner for St. George, an operation owned by Germán Larrea Mota-​Velasco.

She came into the Apple Blossom off a slow-starting head loss to 2020 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Shedaresthedevil  in the March 13 Azeri Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn, and was razor sharp for the Apple Blossom, where she set the early pace and then bravely battled back in the final furlong after Monomoy Girl edged past her.

“The Azeri was a good race for her and I never thought about not running in the Apple Blossom, even with the two champions,” Gutierrez said about the homebred daughter of Super Saver who has 13 victories from 18 career starts.

“This horse started her career (in Mexico City). We had the confidence to send her here (to the United States) and she started to improve, improve and improve. She’s run at different tracks. She’s run at Sam Houston, Saratoga, Gulfstream. She’s a very tough horse, but this is the best result she’s had in her career.”

As she has been throughout her career, Monomoy Girl was gallant, even in defeat.

Owned by Spendthrift Farm, MyRaceHorse, and Madaket Stables, Monomoy Girl lost for only the third time in an illustrious 17-race career and had a six-race win streak snapped. In those three losses, he she lost by a nose and a neck and was disqualified from first to second for a questionable foul while earning $4.7 million.

As she is prone to do, she seemed to idle upon taking command. This time it cost her.

“She ran hard. It was a tough beat. I was surprised Letruska came back at her and you start wondering why,” said Monomoy Girl’s trainer, Brad Cox.

“I won’t cry about it. But if you look at it, she had a significant amount of ground loss, and while she was beaten by a better filly today, she gave (Letruska) six pounds (124-118). And, hey, she’s 6. I don’t want to say she’s lost a step at 6 but even if you lose a half-step, in a grade 1 race that’s tough to overcome,”

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