Large Field to Chase Derby Points in Jeff Ruby Steaks

The chance of a free pass to the Kentucky Derby (G1) was more than enough to fill the starting gate for the March 23 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) on the Turfway Park all-weather course in northern Kentucky.

The $700,000 race, named for the sponsoring steakhouse chain, offers 100 “Road to the Kentucky Derby” points to the winner with 50, 25, 15 and 10 points for horses finishing second through fifth, and has a history of producing live contenders for the Run for the Roses.

In 2023, 50 points was enough for a spot in the Derby field, so Turfway’s marquee fixture could usher two runners into the Churchill Downs starting gate this season. Whether it’s one spot or two on the line, the opportunity was too good to ignore as a full field of 12 passed the entry box with two more on the also-eligible list.

Trainer Todd Pletcher entered three horses but plans to run only two: Noted  and Triple Espresso , who is expected to draw into the race as an also-eligible. Agate Road  will scratch to run in Saturday’s Louisiana Derby, Pletcher indicated.

Noted won the Sapling Stakes on the Monmouth Park dirt as a 2-year-old but finished a well-beaten ninth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and has done his best work on the grass. Turf horses are often comfortable racing over synthetic tracks.

Trainer Kenny McPeek ships in from New Orleans with Northern Flame . The Flameaway   colt makes his first all-weather start after reporting third in the Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park in his last outing. The Rebel performance earned him 15 “Road to the Kentucky Derby” points which, combined with 3 picked up in 2023, has him ranked No. 21.

Endlessly , an Oscar Performance   colt trained by Michael McCarthy, won the El Camino Real Derby on the Golden Gate Fields all-weather track Feb. 10. That was his first race on an artificial surface. At 2, he won the Del Mar Juvenile Turf Stakes (G3T) in his second outing and followed that up with a victory in the Zuma Beach Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park. His only loss in five starts was an eighth-place showing in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.

Among the others entered for the 1 1/8-miles Jeff Ruby are Otello , a Curlin   colt who won the Mucho Macho Man Stakes at Gulfstream on New Year’s Day but finished sixth in the Holy Bull Stakes (G3); Dancing Groom , fifth in both the Holy Bull and Fountain of Youth (G2); Lucky Jeremy , back from a third-place finish in the Sunland Park Derby (G3) in New Mexico; Rebel Stakes fourth Woodcourt ; and Iroquois fourth Seize the Grey .

During Turfway Park’s sometimes turbulent history, the race has been known as the Spiral Stakes, the Jim Beam Stakes, the Lane’s End Stakes and, in 1999, the Galleryfurniture.com Stakes. Animal Kingdom  and Lil E. Tee used the race as a springboard to Kentucky Derby victories in 2011 and 1992, respectively. Two Phil’s   won the 2023 edition before finishing second to Mage   on the first Saturday in May.