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 a large field of 14 three-year-olds entered in Saturday’s 53rd running of the $700,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3), the marquee race of the Turfway Park season.
The Jeff Ruby, which offers Kentucky Derby (G1) points, is contested on the Tapeta surface. Last year’s Jeff Ruby winner, Two Phil’s, went on to finish a close second in the Kentucky Derby and in 2022, Rich Strike was third in the Jeff Ruby and then won the 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, the 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 five finishers of the Jeff Ruby Steaks will be awarded points on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale.
Trainer Todd Pletcher, who had three entries in the Jeff Ruby, said earlier this week that Agate Road would scratch and compete in the Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds on the same day.
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 1/2 lengths to Unquestionable. Endlessly began his three-year-old campaign in the El Camino Real Derby when he defeated Tapalo by 1 1/4 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.
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 three-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 three-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.
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.
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