NYRA/Adam Coglianese
Pushed early and tested late, Lady Sheila Stable’s four-year-old filly La Verdad proved she is the queen of New York-bred filly and mare sprinters, winning the 36th running of the 6 1/2-furlong $150,000 Iroquois Stakes by a length and a quarter as the 3-5 favorite in the field of eight. Ridden by Jose Ortiz, La Verdad defeated the 9-5 second choice Willet under Joel Rosario, in 1:17.13.
Risky Rachel was third at 9-1 well clear of 33-1 Make the Moment in fourth.
“It’s nice to get her back in the winner’s circle,” La Verdad’s trainer, Linda Rice, said.
La Verdad had a career record of nine-for-11 before finishing fifth twice and second by a head in three graded stakes in open company. She was beaten just a head in her last start by Artemis Agrotera, arguably the best three-year-old filly sprinter in the country, in the Grade II Gallant Bloom Handicap.
For the Iroquois, she posted identical 1:00 2/5 five-furlong works – one of them a bullet, the other second best – and was pounded at the windows for her drop back to state-breds.
She didn’t disappoint.
Beautifully drawn in the outside post, she broke as sharply as she does in all her starts. But Irish Whisper, a 13-1 shot ridden by Ortiz’s brother, Irad Jr., left hard from the five post inside of La Verdad.
Irish Whisper led for a couple strides before La Verdad took over. She had run hard to do so, reaching the quarter in :22.51.
La Verdad opened a four-length lead by running a half-mile in :45.52. Irish Whisper couldn’t keep up, but Risky Rachel and Willet moved into contention, Risky Rachel on the outside and Willet on the rail.
La Verdad still had a comfortable lead after six furlongs in 1:10.43. Willet closed resolutely without threatening La Verdad. Risky Rachel finished third, 2 ¼ lengths behind Willet.
Jose Ortiz said, “Linda Rice did a tremendous job with the filly because she brought it one hundred percent today.”
She usually does. La Verdad improved her record to 10-for-15 with two seconds and more than $770,000 in earnings.
“She’s a star,” owner Sheila Rosenbaum said. “She’s been up against the best of them and she’s proven she’s one of the best. She’s New York.”
