Saturday’s $600,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway Park features a gateload of classic hopefuls. But for some of the 3-year-olds entered in the race, which is run on the all-weather Tapeta surface, the 148th Kentucky Derby (G1) may not be the race they are headed.
One of the favourites, Tiz the Bomb, win or lose, may head overseas for the 2000 Guineas (G1) at Newmarket on April 30 and/or the Epsom Derby (G1) on the first Saturday in June. Although an ambitious goal, the English classics might better suit a colt who captured two grass stakes and finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) last season.
Tiz the Bomb fared poorly in his season debut on dirt, the Fountain of Youth (G2), but rebounded to take the John Battaglia Memorial, the local prep for the Jeff Ruby, by a neck over Stolen Base.
Canadian/Ontario-bred God of Love, owned by Gary Barber and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, expected to be named Champion 2-year-Old Colt in Canada at the April 14 Sovereign Awards in Vaughan, was scheduled to be entered, but when entries came out, he was not on the list.
Of more interest to Canadian racing fans is the $250,000 Bourbonette Oaks for three-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles, which offers Kentucky Oaks (G1) qualifying points of 50-20-10-5 to the top four finishers. Woodbine graded stakes winner Mrs. Barbara, owned by Jim Lawson’s Spruce Stable, has post nine in a big field and looks to go forward from a solid return to racing when fourth in the Grade 3 Florida Oaks on Mar. 12. Rafael Hernandez rides the Bodemeister Kentucky-bred filly for trainer Mark Casse.
The Jeff Ruby Steaks, which has gone through a myriad of name changes, was the Lane’s End Stakes when it was moved from dirt to Polytrack in 2005. Tapeta was installed in 2021.
The race offers 100 Kentucky Derby points to the winner, 40 for second place.
El Camino Real Derby winner Blackadder debuts for trainer Rodolphe Brisset after previously being with Bob Baffert. Blackadder debuted over Golden Gate Fields’ Tapeta surface in the Feb. 12 El Camino Real Derby, winning by a neck going 1 1/8-mile, the same distance as the Jeff Ruby. Brisset also saddles recent allowance runner-up Great Escape.
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