Ontario-bred graded stakes winner IL MALOCCHIO, owned and bred by Franco Meli of Orangeville, is entered in the $250,000 Latonia Stakes at Turfway Park in Florence, KY on March 25. The Latonia, a 1 1/16 mile race on Tapeta, is one of numerous stakes races on the card which is highlighted by the $700,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) for Kentucky Derby hopefuls.
Also on the card, MOON LANDING, an early King’s Plate favourite, will compete in the 1 1/16 mile Rushaway Stakes, worth $250,000.
The first race at Turfway on Saturday has a post time of 12:45 p.m.
The Jeff Ruby Steaks is race 12 of 13 and is at 1 1/8 miles. The race offers Kentucky Derby points to the top 5 finishers on a 100-40-30-20-10 scale towards a spot in the starting gate for the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI).
Two-time graded stakes winner MAJOR DUDE will invade Turfway Park from his South Florida base for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. The son of Bolt d’Oro tabbed his first stakes victory on Oct. 2 in the $200,000 Pilgrim (GII) at the Belmont at Aqueduct meet. Following a disappointing ninth-place effort in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (GI), Major Dude made his 3-year-old debut in the $100,000 Dania Beach at Gulfstream Park where he rallied for second and even money. In his last start, Major Dude contested the $175,000 Kitten’s Joy (GIII) and defeated seven rivals by 1 ½ lengths under Irad Ortiz Jr.
Another talented 3-year-old that entered the Jeff Ruby Steaks is Patricia’s Hope and Phillip Sagan’s two-time stakes winner
TWO PHIL’S. Trained by Larry Rivelli, Two Phil’s seven-race campaign has solely been over dirt and the Jeff Ruby will be his first test on Tapeta. The chestnut son of Hard Spun began his march to the Kentucky Derby after his dominant 5 ¼-length victory in the $200,000 Street Sense (GIII) at Churchill Downs. Following that effort, Two Phil’s was the runner-up to Instant Coffee in the $200,000 Lecomte (GIII) and third-place finisher to Angel of Empire and Sun Thunder in the $400,000 Risen Star (GII). Four weeks ago, Rivelli opted to ship to the colt back from Fair Grounds to his base at Hawthorne to begin his preparation for the Jeff Ruby Steaks. Two Phil’s arrived at Turfway March 13 and has been training daily over the Florence oval.
Jockey Jareth Loveberry, who has ridden Two Phil’s in his last six starts, will have the call in the Jeff Ruby Steaks from post 10
as the 7-2 second choice on Mike Battaglia’s morning line odds.
Il Malocchio, Moon Landing with John Velazquez
Trainer Martin Drexler has been prepping Il Malocchio (Souper Speedy) at Palm Meadows this winter for her 5-year-old debut in the Latonia. The bay mare ended 2022 with two straight stakes wins at Woodbine in the Grade 3 Maple Leaf on Tapeta and the La Prevoyante, also on the Tapeta. Ill Malocchio will have John Velazquez on board and they will start from post four in the 11-horse field.
Moon Landing, a son of Nyquist and a debut winner at Woodbine last year, drew post 12 in the Rushaway with Velazquez named to ride. The colt was fourth in a grass race to begin 2023 and recently fourth in the John Battaglia Stakes at Turfway for trainer Kevin Attard. Mike McCarthy will saddle the Roberta LaPenta, eFive Thoroughbreds and Madaket Stable colt on Saturday.
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