Jackpot! Turfway raises Jeff Ruby to $777K purse
Edited Turfway Park press release
FLORENCE, Ky. (Monday, Jan. 6, 2025) – The Jeff Ruby Steaks (Grade 3) has reached new heights with a record $777,000 purse, now the richest race in the history of Turfway Park Racing & Gaming. The purse had been $700,000 the past two years, before which it was $600,000.
Set for Saturday, March 22, the marquee event of the Turfway Park season will feature a special first post at 12:45 p.m. ET, with tickets now on sale here: Jeff Ruby Steaks Tickets.
“Raising the Jeff Ruby Steaks purse to $777,000 reflects Turfway Park’s ongoing commitment to elevating our stakes program and showcasing top talent on the Road to the Kentucky Derby,” said Matt Shehadi, general manager of Turfway Park Racing & Gaming. “This record-setting purse underscores the Jeff Ruby Steaks as the centerpiece of our season, continuing its legacy as a key test for Derby hopefuls.”
(Editor’s note: The press release does not say the significance, if any, of having a $777K purse, but 777 in slots often reflects a grand jackpot. The numbers 777 signify good fortune in many cultures. In the case of the Jeff Ruby, the winner hits the jackpot in terms of a guaranteed spot in the Kentucky Derby.)
As a marquee stop on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, the Jeff Ruby Steaks awards qualifying points to the top five finishers on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale, offering Kentucky Derby contenders a vital path toward a spot in the starting gate for the first Saturday in May. Since 1980, the Jeff Ruby Steaks has produced 77 Kentucky Derby starters, including three winners: Rich Strike (2022), Animal Kingdom (2011) and Lil E. Tee (1992).
Last year’s Jeff Ruby Steaks featured eventual Preakness Stakes (GI) winner Seize the Grey, who finished third behind Endlessly and West Saratoga, further cementing the race’s importance as a launchpad for future stars.
Jeff Ruby Steaks Day showcases an incredible afternoon of racing that includes the $300,000 Bourbonette Oaks (Listed) – a Championship Series contest on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks; the $300,000 TwinSpires Kentucky Cup Classic (GIII); the $250,000 Latonia Stakes (Listed); the $250,000 Animal Kingdom and the $250,000 Rushaway.
For more information about racing and gaming from Turfway Park, visit Turfway.com.
