Amerman Racing’s El Camino Real Derby winner Endlessly will ship more than 2,000 miles from his Southern California base to Florence, Ky. and face an over-subscribed field of 14 3-year-olds that entered Saturday’s 53rd running of the $700,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (Grade III), the marquee race of the Turfway Park season.
The Jeff Ruby Steaks is a pivotal stop for many of the nation’s top 3-year-olds on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. The 1 1/8-mile affair will go as Race 12 of 13 with a post time of 6:25 p.m. (all times Eastern) First post for the stellar program will be 12:45 p.m. Along with the Jeff Ruby Steaks, stakes-laden card will also feature the 42nd running of the $300,000 Bourbonette Oaks (Listed); the 24th running of the $300,000 TwinSpires Kentucky Cup Classic (GIII); the 38th running of the $250,000 Animal Kingdom Stakes; the 42nd running of the $250,000 Latonia Stakes and the 37th running of the $250,000 Rushaway.
Horses in the Jeff Ruby Steaks will be competing for a total of 200 qualifying points as they attempt to earn a position in the starting gate for the 150th running of the $5 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI), held Saturday, May 4 at Churchill Downs. The top 5 finishers of the Jeff Ruby Steaks will be awarded points on a 100-50-25-15-5 scale.
Trained by Michael McCarthy, Endlessly has been brilliant in four of his five career starts with victories in the El Camino Real Derby, Zuma Beach (GIII) and Del Mar Juvenile Turf (GIII). The only blemish in the son of Oscar Performance’s resume is a disappointing eighth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (GI) when he had a wide journey throughout but was only defeated 3 ½ lengths to Unquestionable. Endlessly began his 3-year-old campaign in the El Camino Real Derby when he defeated Tapalo by 1 ¼ lengths as the heavy 3-5 favorite. Jockey Umberto Rispoli will have the mount in the Jeff Ruby Steaks as the 5-2 morning line favorite.
Chief among the competitors to Endlessly that entered the Jeff Ruby Steaks is Repole Stable and St. Elias Stables’ Grade II winner Agate Road. Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, Agate Road made his Road to the Kentucky Derby debut last month when he finished a fast-closing second to No More Time in the Sam F. Davis (GIII) at Tampa Bay Downs. Prior to the Sam F. Davis, Agate Road competed five times on turf highlighted by a 1 ¼-length victory in the Pilgrim Stakes (GII) as a 2-year-old. The son of Quality Road was cross-entered in Saturday’s $1 million TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (GII) at Fair Grounds. Jockey Jose Ortiz will have the mount should he remain in the Jeff Ruby Steaks at odds of 4-1.
Pletcher will attempt to win the Jeff Ruby Steaks for the fourth time. He previously won the race with We Miss Artie (2014), Flower Alley (2005), and Balto (2001).
Along with Agate Road, Pletcher and Repole are also represented in this year’s race by multiple stakes winner Noted.
Another 3-year-old with prior experience on the Road to the Kentucky Derby is Jack Oxley, Harold Lerner, AWC Stables and Magdalena Racing’s Northern Flame. Conditioned by Kenny McPeek and ridden by Julien Leparoux, Northern Flame already banked 18 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby with his third-place finish in last month’s Rebel (GII) along with a fourth-place finish in the Breeders’ Futurity (GI) and fifth-place finish in the Street Sense (GIII).
Several other accomplished 3-year-olds entered the Jeff Ruby Steaks including Iroquois Stakes (GIII) winner West Saratoga, Mucho Macho Man Stakes winner Otello and Riley Allison Derby winner Lucky Jeremy.
Two Phil’s across the finish line in Turfway’s Jeff Ruby Steaks (File photo: Last year’s Jeff Ruby Steaks)
One of the few horses that entered the Jeff Ruby who are in search of their first stakes victory is MyRacehorse’s recent Oaklawn allowance winner Seize the Grey. The improving son of Arrogate is trained by two-time Jeff Ruby Steaks winner D. Wayne Lukas, who won this race in 1995 with Serena’s Song and in 1983 with Marfa. Seize the Grey will be ridden by Nik Juarez.
Here is the complete field for the Jeff Ruby Steaks in order of post position (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds): Freedom Principle (Adam Beschizza, Jose Garaffalo, 30-1); Dancing Groom (Frankie Dettori, Antonio Sano, 15-1); Lucky Jeremy (Gerardo Corrales, Bill Morey, 10-1); Noted (Luis Saez, Pletcher, 10-1); Agate Road (Ortiz, Pletcher, 4-1); Northern Flame (Leparoux, McPeek, 5-1); Woodcourt (Luan Machado, Cipriano Contreras, 6-1); Otello (Javier Castellano, Christophe Clement, 12-1); Seize the Grey (Juarez, Lukas, 8-1); Endlessly (Rispoli, McCarthy, 5-2); Baytown Chatterbox (Albin Jiminez, Paul McEntee, 30-1) and West Saratoga (Jesus Castanon, Larry Demeritte, 20-1). Also-Eligibles: Circle P (Tyler Conner, Flint Stites, 20-1) and Triple Espresso (Ortiz, Pletcher, 20-1).
The Jeff Ruby Steaks will be broadcast live on CNBC and Peacock. The broadcast will span 6-7 p.m. and also feature the Fair Grounds Oaks (GII) and Louisiana Derby (GII).
Fans can watch and wager on the entire Jeff Ruby Steaks Day program on www.TwinSpires.com, the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Incorporated and the Kentucky Derby. Racing from Turfway Park is also streamed on the Churchill Downs LIVE app on smart TVs.
Announcer Tony Calo will call all the action on Jeff Ruby Steaks Day with analyst Kaitlin Free hosting the simulcast show live in the Jeff Ruby VIP Ballroom.
FanDuel TV is another option for fans to watch the action from Turfway Park. Analysts Gabby Gaudet and Matt Carrothers will be on-site at Turfway Park on Saturday to bring live reports and analysis.
For more information about Jeff Ruby Steaks Day and to purchase tickets, visit www.Turfway.com.
