With champion Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) and GI Breeders' Cup Distaff runner-up Valiance (Tapit) both late defections from Belmont's GI Ogden Phipps S. due to fevers, GI Apple Blossom H. heroine Letruska (Super Saver) will likely inherit favoritism in Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Distaff “Win and You're In” event. Closing out last term with a dominant score in the GIII Rampart S. at Gulfstream Dec. 12, the bay wired the GIII Houston Ladies Classic Jan. 31. She missed by a head to Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil), who also lines up here, in Oaklawn's GII Azeri S. Mar. 13 and out-nosed the mighty Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) last time in Hot Springs, with Swiss Skydiver finishing third.
“She's doing very well since the Apple Blossom,” trainer Fausto Gutierrez said. “She's trained very well at Keeneland. The first question I had was if she could fit with those kind of mares and she showed in that race that she could. She ran like a champion.”
Shedaresthedevil blew up the tote in the GI Kentucky Oaks last September when besting Swiss Skydiver at odds of 15-1. Third next out behind fellow Ogden Phipps competitor Valiance in Keeneland's GI Juddmonte Spinster S. in October, the bay opened her 4-year-old account in the Azeri and followed suit with a one-length score in Churchill's GI La Troienne S. Apr. 30. That win which was further flattered when runner-up Envoutante (Uncle Mo) came back to capture the Shawnee S. beneath the Twin Spires May 29. Her trainer Brad Cox also saddles Juddmonte homebred Bonny South (Munnings), who enters off a victory in Keeneland's GIII Doubledogdare S. Apr. 16.
Rounding out the field are GII Ruffian S. runner-up Water White (Conveyance) and GIII Royal Delta S. victress Queen Nekia (Harlington).
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