NYRA/Adam Coglianese
By Sarah Mace
La Verdad (Yes It’s True), an Eclipse Award finalist in the 2015 Filly and Mare Sprint division and scheduled to retire this year for a breeding shed date with Medaglia d’Oro, gave her connections more yet one more occasion to cheer at Aqueduct on Saturday.
In the penultimate start of her stellar career, the Lady Sheila Stable color-bearer cruised to a comfortable victory in the six-furlong, $100,000 Interborough Stakes. The six-year-old mare is scheduled to close out her account in the Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie on February 13 at Laurel.
La Verdad won five stakes in 2015: the Grade 2 Distaff Handicap, Grade 3 Vagrancy, Dancin Renee for state-breds, Grade 2 Gallant Bloom, and the Iroquois Handicap for state-breds. A week after the Iroquois victory on Showcase Day, she finished a strong second to Wavell Avenue in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.
In her final start of the year, however, the Grade 3 Fall Highweight on November 26, presumed to be her final start before retiring, La Verdad failed to hit the board for the second straight year.
Conditioner Linda Rice said, “We brought her home from the Breeders’ Cup and, after the Fall Highweight which, two years in a row was somewhat disappointing, she trained well. We kept her in New York and made plans to breed her to Medaglia [d’Oro]. [Owner] Sheila [Rosenblum] and I spoke about it and said, ‘well, she’s doing so well, let’s see if we can win a race or two with her before she goes.’”
Bet down to a formidable 2-5 in the field of six, with regular rider Jose Ortiz in the irons, La Verdad headed, as usual, to the lead, this time accompanied by an unlikely challenger: 50-1 Fat Cat who showed early speed to her inside.
Dogged by Fat Cat through an opening quarter mile in 23.22, the bay mare began to shake off her pesky rival by the time she entered the far turn. Gaining clear command with three-eighths of a mile to go, clocking a half-mile in 46.13 and leading by three lengths at the top of the lane, the bay mare cruised home unchallenged to a 2 3/4-length victory in a final time of 1:10.65.
In the words of track announcer John Imbriale, “As they come for the finish, here’s this marvelous mare La Verdad to win her debut in 2016 and pick up career win number 16.”
Dancing house and Room for Me finished a length apart in second and third, followed across the line by Princess Violet, Jubilant Vision and Fat Kat. [VIDEO]
NYRA/Joe Labozzetta
Jockey Ortiz reported, “I broke good and felt we were in good position even though the No. 2 horse [Fat Kat] got a little bit of a jump on me. Little by little once I got to her, I got there and by the time I was in front I just took it easy. I waited a little bit more then I let her go around the turn.”
He added, “Linda brought her in at 100 percent and ready for this race. When I asked her to go she went very well. I don’t know what’s next but whatever they decide with her I’m good with it.”
Rice made clear what was next: “We will be pointed to the [Grade 2] Barbara Fritchie [on February 13 at Laurel] off of this, so hopefully she can get another win and go out a winner.”
Rice also elaborated on managing La Verdad’s career. “When you’ve got a filly that has won as much as she has, it puts a little extra pressure on us. It’s a little nerve-wracking, but I don’t think you can operate out of fear,” said Rice. “The filly doesn’t owe anybody anything. We enjoy racing her, I think you’ll find people like the Ramseys and people who love racing, enjoy racing their horses and Sheila and I certainly enjoy racing La Verdad.”
La Verdad’s career record is truly stunning: 16 wins from 25 starts with three seconds and a grand total of 11 stakes victories, translating into a whopping bankroll of $ $1,563,200.
Bred by Eklektikos Stable LLC and foaled at Chester and Mary Broman’s Chestertown farm in Chestertown. La Verdad was purchased privately by Rosenblum following her second allowance victory in November 2013.
She is one of three winners from three starters out of successful producer Noble Fire (Hook and Ladder), a stakes-placed runner bred by Chester and Mary Broman and also trained by Rice, who bought her for Eklektikos for $115,000 at the 2007 OBS Spring sale of 2-year-olds in training.
Noble Fire is also the dam of Grade 3 Charles Town Oaks winner Hot City Girl, owned and trained by the same connections, and earner of over $500,000. Noble Fire’s first foal N. F’s Destiny (Cuvee) is an eight-time winner of over $335,000. The mare currently has a 2-year-old filly by Freud, and was bred to Will Take Charge in 2015.
