That showed how potent she can be with an economical sit on a moderate speed but the extra 300m of a Derby can blunt even the most dazzling speedster, as punters found out with Dragon Leap two seasons ago.
So a hard-run Derby with La Crique forced to come wide looked the boy's best chance of undoing the only filly in the race but that became less likely when she drew the ace, raising the very real possibility of her getting the same easy trail she got in the Guineas.
In a bar-room brawl of a Derby she might still find it hard to sprint quite so potently but this bar looks to have fewer brawlers and more waiters who could hand the Derby to the filly on a plate.
With the horse which led in the Auckland, Waikato and Avondale Guineas in Field Of Gold withdrawn, very few of La Crique's 12 male rivals have even raced on the speed at this level, let alone led.
Their trainers are painfully aware the slower the Derby, the scarier the favourite. "We, and I don't think anybody else, can see much speed in the race," says Tony Pike, who has trained two of the past six Derby winners.
"That is why we will probably roll forward on Tutukaka and be handy, even outside the leader because I am worried about the tempo.
"I don't think we will be in front but we have to go forward, especially with the filly drawn one. If everybody sits back she might be unbeatable."
The Baker/Forsman stable are the New Zealand experts on winning Derbys and Andrew Forsman realises they aren't going to add another to their trophy cabinet by sitting back waiting for imaginary tempo.
"It doesn't look a Derby with an obvious leader at a good tempo, even though it only takes one horse to change that on the day.
"We would ideally want all three of ours [White Noise, Regal Lion, Privileged Son] to be handy because they need a staying test and depending how they feel to their riders maybe one of them could lead.
"But they haven't had much experience at that so you wouldn't say they are natural leaders."
While the hunt for a leader may be a futile mental exercise as horses and jockeys can do unexpected things, especially in $1m races, what looks increasingly unlikely is a Derby of searing speed.
Even if that does eventuate there is also no guarantee it will dull La Crique's shine. After all, her dam won her last career start over 2400m on a bog Trentham track and her sire Vadamos is by Monsun, sire of three Melbourne Cup winners.
La Crique may be simply the best horse in the race and a truly-run Derby could even increase her dominance. Even if it turns out to be run at a good tempo we haven't seen evidence La Crique is also not the best stayer in this Derby.
In the Avondale Guineas we saw blistering evidence of her sprint.
So rival trainers will be hoping one of their pack makes tomorrow a stamina test or the result should be the same.
Derby Day
What: New Zealand thoroughbred racing's iconic day.
Where: Ellerslie, Auckland.
When: Saturday, first race 12.23pm.
The Derby: $1 million Vodafone-sponsored for 3-year-old thoroughbreds.
The money: La Crique, the only filly in the Derby, is the $1.85 favourite.
Support card: $100,000 Haunui Farm Kings Plate, $90,000 McKee Family Sunline Vase, $80,000 Stella Artois Mufhasa Plate, $70,000 Go Racing Nathans Memorial.
Can you go? Surprisingly, yes. Ellerslie have limited hospitality tickets still available online.
