McCarthy returns to Jeff Ruby with another Amerman horse: favored Stark Contrast

Mar 15, 2026 Jennie Rees No Comments

Turfway Park Jeff Ruby Day stakes advance by Kevin Kerstein (Benoit Photo above of Stark Contrast winning Santa Anita’s Eddie Logan Stakes in his last start)

FLORENCE, Ky. (Sunday, March 15, 2026) – Amerman Racing’s Grade III winner Stark Contrast will invade Turfway Park from Southern California to face a full field of 12 3-year-olds entered in Saturday’s 55^th running of the $777,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (GIII), the marquee race of the Turfway Park Racing & Gaming Winter/Spring Meet.

The Jeff Ruby Steaks, run at 1 1/8 miles, is part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby Championship Series and will award the winner 100 qualifying points and a spot in the starting gate for the $5 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) on Saturday, May 2 at Churchill Downs.

The blockbuster 13-race program at Turfway Park gets underway at 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern), with the Jeff Ruby Steaks scheduled as Race 12 at 6:25 p.m. The card also includes the $300,000 TwinSpires Kentucky Cup Classic (GIII), the $300,000 Bourbonette Oaks (Listed), the $250,000 Latonia (Listed), the $250,000 Animal Kingdom and the $250,000 Rushaway.

Along with Stark Contrast, the Jeff Ruby Steaks field also includes David Romanik,Warren Cheekes, Deborah Dougherty, C2 Racing Stable, BAG Racing Stable and Robert Liedel’s Grade I winner Argos; St. Elias Stable and Starlight Racing’s multiple stakes-placed Fulleffort and Gold Square’s stakes winner and Grade I-placed Two Out Hero.

Southern California invader Stark Contrast breaks from post No. 11 in the Jeff Ruby Steaks under jockey Kazushi Kimura. Trained by Michael McCarthy, Stark Contrast won the Zuma Beach Stakes (GIII) by a length and scored a 2 ¼-length victory in the Eddie Logan (Listed) at Santa Anita. He finished his 2-year-old season with a runner-up performance (by three-quarters of a length) to favored Gstaad at 58-1 odds in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. The Jeff Ruby Steaks will be Stark Contrast’s first start over a synthetic surface, with all three of his victories coming on turf.

McCarthy, who now maintains a Kentucky division year-round, won the Jeff Ruby Steaks two years ago with Endlessly, who is entered earlier on the card in the $300,000 TwinSpires Kentucky Cup Classic (GIII).

Trainer Brad Cox entered the duo of Fulleffort and Argos in the Jeff Ruby Steaks.

Fulleffort finished second in both the Leonatus and the John Battaglia Memorial (Listed) at Turfway Park. Prior to those stakes tries, the son of Liam’s Map broke his maiden by a dominating five lengths at Keeneland. Irad Ortiz Jr. rides from post 2.

Cox, who won last year’s Jeff Ruby Steaks with eventual Kentucky Derby fourth-place finisher Final Gambit, also entered Grade I winner Argos. The son of Nyquist was recently transferred to Cox following five starts with Riley Mott, including his head victory in last year’s Summer Stakes (GI) at Woodbine. Luan Machado has the mount from post 10.

Two Out Hero won the Soaring Free Stakes last season at Woodbine prior to finishing third to Argos in the Summer Stakes. Trained by Kevin Attard, Two Out Hero disappointed one month ago in the John Battaglia Memorial when he finished ninth at odds of 4-1. Gerardo Corrales rides from post 4.

Another horse invading from Southern California is Perry Bass II and Ramona Bass’ stakes-placed Medici. Trained by Richard Mandella, Medici finished second in last month’s Pasadena Stakes at Santa Anita. Mirco Demuro rides from post 6.

Trainer Brendan Walsh entered the duo of Black Gold Stakes winner Black Hornet and two-time winner Stop the Car.

Owned by Calumet Farm, Black Hornet scored a 1 ¼-length victory in last month’s Black Gold Stakes at Fair Grounds at odds of 7-1. Declan Cannon rides from post 5.

Stop the Car was targeting the John Battaglia Memorial but was scratched with a minor setback. Owned by Tradewinds Farm, Stop the Car won on debut in a $150,000 maiden claiming contest at Keeneland, then captured a first-level allowance at Churchill Downs. Edgar Morales has the mount from post 12.

The field for the Jeff Ruby Steaks from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

Turf Star (John Velazquez, Graham Motion)
Fulleffort (Ortiz, Cox)
Baytown Dreamer (Orlando Bocachica, Paul McEntee)
Two Out Hero (Corrales, Attard)
Black Hornet (Cannon, Walsh)
Medici (Demuro, Mandella)
Maximus Prime (Joe Ramos, Anthony Mitchell)
Chaos Agent (Joel Rosario, Josie Carroll)
Brave Force (Vincent Cheminaud, Jack Sisterson)
Argos (Machado, Cox)
Stark Contrast (Kimura, McCarthy)
Stop the Car (Morales, Walsh)

The Jeff Ruby Steaks awards the top 5 finishers qualifying points on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale toward a spot in the starting gate for Kentucky Derby 152.

Live coverage of the Jeff Ruby Steaks will be shown on Peacock and NBC Sports Network from 6-7 p.m. The broadcast also includes the $1 million TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (GII) at Fair Grounds.

Fans still wishing to purchase tickets can do so by visiting www.turfway.com.

CINCINNATI TROPHY WINNER RESPLENDENCE RETURNS FOR BOURBONETTE OAKS – Bonne Chance Farm’s Cincinnati Trophy winner Resplendence will return to Turfway Park Racing & Gaming to face 11 rivals entered in Saturday’s 44^th running of the $300,000 Bourbonette Oaks (Listed), a Championship Series race on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks.

The Bourbonette Oaks is part of six stakes contests on Jeff Ruby Steaks Day. First post is 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern), with the Bourbonette Oaks scheduled as Race 11 of 13 at 5:43 p.m.

Trained by Paulo Lobo, Resplendence impressed in the Feb. 21 Cincinnati Trophy while defeating 10 rivals by 2 ¾ lengths as an 11-1 outsider. A daughter of Justify, the homebred previously broke her maiden at Turfway by six lengths in a Jan. 15 maiden special weight contest. Jockey Alberto Burgos has the call in Saturday’s race from the rail.

Another stakes winner in the field is Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Sabby Racing and Ken Reimer’s La Ville Lumiere. Trained by Michael McCarthy, La Ville Lumiere invades Turfway from Santa Anita as a two-time winner with her lone stakes victory coming in the Blue Norther Stakes as a 2-year-old. Prior to that victory, she finished third in both the Oak Leaf (GIII) and Jimmy Durante (GIII). Jockey Kazushi Kimura has the call from post No. 10.

Also entered is Cincinnati Trophy runner-up Lovely Grey, a private purchase for Dave Portnoy’s Go Go Greys Stable. Trained by Kelsey Danner, Lovely Grey finished 2 ¾ lengths behind Resplendence in the Cincinnati Trophy. Prior to that start, she was a troubled third in an allowance race at Turfway Park. Joel Rosario rides from post 9.

The field for the Bourbonette Oaks in order of post position (with jockey and trainer):

Resplendence (Burgos, Lobo)
Resist (Irving Moncada, Tommy Drury Jr.)
Beara Peninsula (Luan Machado, Jerry O’Dwyer)
Blazing Brat (Joe Ramos, Whit Beckman)
Scratch It (Irad Ortiz Jr., Brad Cox)
Callmeyourmajesty (Vincent Cheminaud, Wayne Catalano)
Maximum Offer (Manny Esquivel, Kenny McPeek)
Bless Her (John Velazquez, Graham Motion)
Lovely Grey (Rosario, Danner)
La Ville Lumiere (Kimura, McCarthy)
Lorelei Lee (Fernando De La Cruz, Mike Maker)
Wonzee Weather (Dylan Machado, Darrin Miller)

The Bourbonette Oaks awards the top five finishers qualifying points on a 50-25-15-10-5 scale toward a spot in the starting gate for the $1.5 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) on Friday, May 1 at Churchill Downs.

MERCANTE DEFENDS TITLE VERSUS 2024 JEFF RUBY STEAKS WINNER ENDLESSLY IN TWINSPIRES KENTUCKY CUP CLASSIC – Carl Pollard’s multiple graded stakes winner Mercante is set to defend his title against an accomplished group of nine older horses, including 2024 Jeff Ruby Steaks (GIII) winner Endlessly, in Saturday’s $300,000 TwinSpires Kentucky Cup Classic (GIII) at Turfway Park Racing & Gaming.

Run at 1 1/8 miles, the TwinSpires Kentucky Cup Classic is one of six stakes races on Saturday’s Jeff Ruby Steaks Day program. First post is 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern), with the Kentucky Cup Classic scheduled as Race 10 at 5:13 p.m.

Mercante, trained by Brian Knippenberg, will kick off his 6-year-old campaign in Saturday’s race. As a 5-year-old, the son of Gun Runner scored a 13-1 upset victory overEncino in the TwinSpires Kentucky Cup Classic, then went on to finish second in the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (GI) on Kentucky Derby Day. Mercante will be ridden byWalter Rodriguez from post No. 9.

Another accomplished horse entered is Amerman Racing Stables’ 2024 Jeff Ruby Steaks winner Endlessly. Trained by Michael McCarthy, Endlessly dominated the Jeff Ruby Steaks by four lengths before finishing ninth in Kentucky Derby 150 (GI). The now 5-year-old son of Oscar Performance will be seeking his first victory since the Jeff Ruby Steaks with Kazushi Kimura in the irons from post 7.

Fellow Kentucky Derby alum Honor Marie enters the TwinSpires Kentucky Cup Classic following an impressive 4 ½-length victory four weeks ago in the Dust Commander Stakes. Trained by Whit Beckman and owned by Ribble Farms and Lighthouse Racing, Honor Marie finished one spot in front of Endlessly in Kentucky Derby 150. Jockey Joe Ramos has the mount from the rail.

The field for the TwinSpires Kentucky Cup Classic from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

Honor Marie (Ramos, Beckman)
Utah Beach (Vincent Cheminaud, Brendan Walsh)
Naptown (Victor Carrasco, Jose Magana)
Tickled Quist (Fernando De La Cruz, Brad Cox)
Willy D’s (John Velazquez, Mike Maker)
Tapit Shoes (Luis Contreras, Ed Moger Jr.)
Endlessly (Kimura, McCarthy)
Wadsworth (Irad Ortiz Jr., Brad Cox)
Mercante (Corrales, Knippenberg)

GRADE III WINNER LITERATE HEADLINE $250,000 LATONIA – C2 Racing Stable and BAG Racing’s accomplished 6-year-old mare Literate headlines a field of seven fillies and mares in Saturday’s 44^th running of the $250,000 Latonia Stakes (Listed) at Turfway Park Racing & Gaming.

The Latonia Stakes, run at 1 1/16 miles, is Race 7 on the 13-race program with a post time of 3:43 p.m. First post is 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern) for the blockbuster card, which also includes the $777,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (GIII), the $300,000 Bourbonette Oaks (Listed), the $300,000 TwinSpires Kentucky Cup Classic (GIII), the $250,000 Animal Kingdom and the $250,000 Rushaway.

Trained by Brad Cox, Literate dominated the Wintergreen Stakes by 10 ¾ lengths two weeks ago at Turfway Park. Prior to that start, she captured the Likely Exchange Stakes and the Trillium Stakes (GIII). She will be ridden by Luan Machado from the rail.

Also entered is Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Grade III winner Warming. Trained by Graham Motion, Warming scored a game 1 ¾-length victory in the Autumn Miss Stakes (GIII) at Santa Anita to close her 3-year-old season. Her resume also includes a third-place finish in the John C. Mabee Stakes (GII) at Del Mar. Jockey John Velazquezrides in the Latonia from post No. 5.

The field for the Latonia Stakes from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

Literate (Machado, Cox)
Stylish Sue (Irad Ortiz Jr., Joe Sharp)
Golden Sunshine (Joel Rosario, Eoin Harty)
Hello Hello Hello (Alberto Burgos, Michelle Elliott)
Warming (Velazquez, Motion)
Devassa (BRZ) (Walter Rodriguez, Lobo)
Five a Side (Gerardo Corrales, John Servis)

OUTFIELDER TAKES ON HOMETOWN BOUND IN $250,000 ANIMAL KINGDOM – AMO Racing USA, Wesley Ward and Jayson Werth’s impressive sprinter Outfielder is set to make his 3-year-old debut when he faces a field of seven rivals, including Colts Neck Stables’ undefeated Hometown Bound, in Saturday’s 40^th running of the $250,000 Animal Kingdom Stakes at Turfway Park Racing & Gaming.

The six-furlong Animal Kingdom Stakes, named in honor of the 2011 Jeff Ruby Steaks winner turned Kentucky Derby hero, is part of a six-stakes races on the 13-race program. First post is 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern), with the Animal Kingdom scheduled as Race 9 at 4:43 p.m.. Also included on the program are the $777,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (GIII), the $300,000 Bourbonette Oaks (Listed), the $300,000 TwinSpires Kentucky Cup Classic (GIII), the $250,000 Latonia (Listed) and the $250,000 Rushaway.

Outfielder, trained by co-owner Ward, dazzled on debut with a 6 ¼-length victory at Churchill Downs. Following that effort, Ward sent Outfielder to France, where he finished fourth in the Sumbe Prix Morny (GI). Back in North America, Outfielder scored a two-length victory in allowance company in October at Keeneland before a disappointing 14th-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (GI). Jockey John Velazquez will ride Outfielder in Saturday’s Animal Kingdom from post No. 7.

Chief among his rivals appears to be Hometown Bound, who is undefeated in two starts. Trained by Jorge Duarte Jr., Hometown Bound won his debut by three lengths over a muddy track at Laurel before a 1 ¾-length victory in the Turfway Prevue 10 weeks ago. Jockey Victor Carrasco, who was aboard for both victories, will be in the irons Saturday from post 8.

The field for the Animal Kingdom in order of post position (with jockey and trainer):

Small Town (Kazushi Kimura, Michael McCarthy)
Ganaas (Edgar Morales, Andrew McKeever)
Longshoreman (Joel Rosario, Ward)
Archimedes (Irad Ortiz Jr., Mike Maker)
Gnome (Adam Beschizza, Kelsey Danner)
Mom’s Spaghetti (Joe Ramos, Navarette)
Outfielder (John Velazquez, Ward)
Hometown Bound (Carrasco, Duarte)

LOCAL ALLOWANCE WINNER VALIANT LEADS ULTRA-COMPETITIVE EDITION OF $250,000 RUSHAWAY – Grandview Equine, LNJ Foxwoods and Hubert Vester’s local allowance winner Valiant leads a field of eight 3-year-olds entered in Saturday’s 39^th running of the $250,000 Rushaway Stakes at Turfway Park Racing & Gaming.

The 1 1/16-mile Rushaway Stakes is part of a blockbuster 13-race program on Jeff Ruby Steaks Day. First post is 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern) with the Rushaway going as Race 8 at 4:13 p.m.

Trained by Brad Cox, Valiant scored a 1 ¾-length victory in a Dec. 5 first-level allowance contest at Turfway Park. A son of Into Mischief, Valiant enters the Rushaway following a fourth-place finish in January’s Leonatus Stakes. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. has the call from post No. 5.

The Rushaway field also includes Fair Grounds allowance winner J J Grey; Colonial Downs stakes winner Trendsetter and stakes placed Tartabull.

The complete lineup for the Rushaway in order of post position (with jockey and trainer):