Despite faltering late in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Lady Sheila Stable’s star La Verdad dominated the female sprint division all year in New York. Her year’s work was good enough for her to be named champion female sprinter.
The New York-bred daughter of Yes It’s True joins Indian Blessing (2008) as only the second champion filly sprinter who didn’t win the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (gr. I).
A private purchase by Sheila Rosenblum’s Lady Sheila Stable by trainer Linda Rice, La Verdad has ruled the roost around one turn in New York since April 2014 when she landed her first of two Distaff Handicaps (gr. II) at Aqueduct. Alternating between graded company and state-bred stakes competition, she has won 10 stakes and ran second in three more, earning just under $1.4 million in 20 outings. She made four starts for her breeder, Mark Vondrasek’s Eklektikos Stable.
In 2015 La Verdad was never headed in her first four outings, which included repeats going six furlongs in the Distaff Handicap and in the Dancin Renee Stakes for state-breds. She finished first in the grade II Honorable Miss Handicap at Saratoga Race Course but was disqualified following a positive test for clenbuterol.
More wins followed in the Gallant Bloom—against fellow sprint filly nominee Wavell Avenue—and the Iroquois Stakes against state-breds, setting the stage for Rosenblum’s ultimate goal, a grade I win in the TwinSpires Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. Tackling seven furlongs for the first time in 14 months, La Verdad and Jose Ortiz held a commanding lead late, but were run down by 10-1 Wavell Avenue.
As La Verdad headed toward the breeding shed in 2016, Rosenblum and Rice weren’t quite ready to let go.
“She trained well; we kept her in New York and made plans to breed her to Medaglia d’Oro ,” Rice said. “Sheila 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.’ ”
La Verdad won the Jan. 9 Interborough Stakes at Aqueduct and is slated to appear in the Feb. 13 Barbara Fritchie Stakes (gr. II) at Laurel Park.
Voting totals in female sprinter division: La Verdad, 98; Wavell Avenue, 90; Lady Shipman 41; Cavorting, 19; Unbridled Forever, 5;Ageless, 1; Birdonthewire, 1; Fantastic Style, 1; voter abstentions, 5.
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/97141/la-verdad-grabs-female-sprinter-championship