Keeneland Photo
La Verdad, who won the $150,000 Iroquois Stakes at Belmont Park on October 24th, is expected to run back one week later in the $1,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (gr. I) on October 31st at Keeneland.
Trained by Linda Rice, La Verdad won the 6 1/2-furlong Iroquois in easy fashion, settling in fourth place early on before sweeping into command around the turn and drawing off under a light hand ride by 3 3/4 lengths. After emerging from the race in fine form, Rice confirmed that the five-year-old mare would start in the Breeders’ Cup.
Regarding La Verdad’s change of tactics in the Iroquois Stakes–settling off the lead as opposed to setting the pace, as she normally does–Rice explained that this was intentional.
“We wanted to let the speed run away from her and see how she would do before we spent the money to run seven furlongs, and it went beautifully,” she said. “As she’s gotten older, she’s rated better. She’s more relaxed. She’s such a pro and she’ll let the speed run away from her. It makes me feel better about running her the seven furlongs and Sheila [Rosenblum, owner of La Verdad] feels better about it too.”
Rice also confirmed that Palace, who won the October 24th, Hudson Stakes at Belmont, would pass on a start in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (gr. I). “He’s well, it’s just been a tough year for him,” Rice said. “Last year things went well. This year, we’ve just had one hiccup after another. He ran great in the Vosburgh but I didn’t quite think he was up to the Breeders’ Cup competition yet. He won yesterday and we’ll move on.”
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