La Verdad Seeks Career 'High'

Lady Sheila Stable's La Verdad (Yes It's True) looks to go out with a bang by becoming the first female to win Aqueduct's GIII Fall Highweight H. since 1986 in what is rumored to be her career finale Thursday. The 5-year-old miss has only faced males on one other occassion, when finishing seventh behind the reopposing Salutos Amigos (Salute the Sarge) in last year's renewal of this test. This time, however, La Verdad comes into the Fall Highweight off what is without a doubt her best season yet, having started 2015 with five straight wins in the GII Distaff H. Apr. 18, GIII Vagrancy H. May 16, state-bred Dancin Renee S. June 18, GII Honorable Miss H. July 29 and GII Gallant Bloom H. Sept. 26. With Breeders' Cup rumors flying, trainer Linda Rice decided to send her stable star to the state-bred Iroquois S. at Belmont just one week before the Championships Oct. 24 and changed tactics, asking the mare to come from a bit off the pace rather than going straight to the lead. La Verdad showed her conditioner exactly what she wanted to see with a 3 3/4-length victory and it was on to Keeneland, where she finished a game second after setting the pace in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint Oct. 31. Owner Sheila Rosenblum decided she could not part with the bay after that and scratched her from the Fasig-Tipton November sale with this race in mind before transitioning her to a new career as a broodmare.

“Cutting back to six furlongs is obviously a good thing for her,” said Rice. “Against the colts, it's questionable. Last year didn't go well for us but I think that she's in much better form right now.” La Verdad boasts a record of seven wins from nine starts at Aqueduct and 11 wins from 14 starts at six furlongs.

Rice also saddles Antonino Miuccio's dual Grade I winner Palace (City Zip), who will begin a stud career at Spendthrift Farm at the end of this term. Fourth by just 3/4 of a length in Belmont's GI Vosburgh Invitational S. Sept. 26, the bay captured the state-bred Hudson S. there Oct. 24 and was last seen finishing third as the favorite in Laurel's Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash Nov. 14. Rice removes the blinkers for this test which should set up nicely for Palace's running style.

David Jacobson and Southern Equine Stable's Salutos Amigos has not seen the winner's circle since the Mr. Prospector S. at Monmouth in June. Off the board in both the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. and GI Forego S. in August, the bay missed by just a neck in the GI Vosburgh Invitational S. at Belmont Sept. 26 and was fifth last time in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland Oct. 31, but still gets the morning-line nod in this title defense.