Leslie’s Rose Blooms Again in Saratoga’s Shuvee

With Irad Ortiz Jr. Aboard and Back on a Fast Track, the Into Mischief Filly Regained Her Form for a Clear-Cut Win; Raging Sea Was a Non-Threatening Third

Leslie’s Rose and Irad Ortiz: Mission Accomplished / NYRA / SUSIE RAISHER

SARATOGA SPRINGS, New York (Special for Turf Diario).- It took some time, but Leslie’s Rose found her best form once again this Friday, capturing the Shuvee Stakes (G2, 9 furlongs, dirt, $200,000), one of the standout events of Saratoga’s summer meet for fillies and mares aged four and up.

Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. and trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the Whisper Hill Farm homebred made amends for a couple of subpar efforts, showcasing the level that saw her win the 2023 Ashland Stakes (G1) as a promising three-year-old.

Her previous start, the Ogden Phipps (G1), saw her hampered by a slow start on a sealed, muddy track — a scenario that had also hampered her in the prior year’s Kentucky Oaks (G1). “That’s why we entered her in both this race and the Molly Pitcher at Monmouth Park. We wanted her to run on a fast track, no matter what, and this time the weather cooperated,” Pletcher explained.

Everything went according to plan. Leslie’s Rose broke alertly from post three and settled in third, patiently tracking Dazzling Move (Not This Time), who set solid fractions of 23.62 and 47.56 seconds, while Malibu Beauty (Buffum) applied pressure from second. Ortiz Jr. kept the filly perfectly positioned, waiting for the right moment.

That moment came in the stretch. While Gun Song (Gun Runner) drifted wide and the heavy favorite Raging Sea(Curlin) failed to make up ground from the back, Leslie’s Rose shifted gears, drew even with Dazzling Move, and powered clear in the final furlong. She scored by 3 3/4 lengths in a final time of 1:50.77, leaving a thoroughly convincing impression.

Dazzling Move held on for second by nearly 10 lengths over Raging Sea, who was never a factor and will need to improve significantly to contend for the rest of the season. Completing the order of finish were Gun Song, Prides Crossing (Quality Road), Malibu Beauty, and Sidamara (Arrogate).

“She’s very tactical, which allowed us to secure a good position early. Irad knows her well and gave her a great ride. I was a bit worried about Raging Sea, but when I saw she had work to do and ours was traveling comfortably, I relaxed,” Pletcher said, confirming that Leslie’s Rose’s next target will be the Personal Ensign Stakes (G1) on August 23, over the same distance and venue, which offers a Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) berth.

Ortiz Jr. added, “The plan was to get a good break and avoid traffic up front. I knew horses from posts six and seven would go fast, so we aimed to sit third or fourth, and we did. From there, I just waited. When I asked her, she gave everything. She was ready.”

Bred in Kentucky by John D. Gunther and Eurowest Bloodstock Services, Leslie’s Rose is by the sensational Into Mischief out of Wildwood Rose (Galileo), a half-sister to G1 winner Materiality (Afleet Alex) and G2 winner My Miss Sophia (Unbridled’s Song), the latter dam of millionaire multiple stakes winner Annapolis (War Front), also trained by Pletcher. Purchased for $1,150,000 at the 2022 Keeneland Sales, the gray filly improved her record to 10 starts: 4 wins, 1 second, and 2 thirds, earning $110,000 and paying $10.40 to win.