Jeff Ruby: Poster, California Burrito headline Derby prep

Mar 15, 2025 Jennie Rees No Comments

Jeff Ruby Day stakes preview by Kevin Kerstein (Joe Labozzetta/Coglianese photo of #3 Poster winning Aqueduct’s G2 Remsen last fall)

GRADE II WINNER POSTER FACES LOCAL STANDOUT CALIFORNIA BURRITO IN $777,000 JEFF RUBY STEAKS

FLORENCE, Ky. (Saturday, March 15, 2025) – Poster, last year’s Remsen Stakes (Grade II) winner, and California Burrito, the John Battaglia Memorial victor, headline a competitive field of 12 3-year-olds and one also-eligible entered in next Saturday’s $777,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (GIII), the richest race in history at Turfway Park Racing & Gaming.

The 1 1/8-mile Jeff Ruby Steaks serves as a key stop on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, offering qualifying points on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale to the top five finishers for a spot in the $5 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI).

The Jeff Ruby Steaks is Race 12 on Turfway Park’s blockbuster 13-race program, which features six stakes contests, including the $300,000 Bourbonette Oaks (Listed) on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks, the $300,000 TwinSpires Kentucky Cup Classic (GIII), the $250,000 Latonia (Listed), the $250,000 Animal Kingdom and the $250,000 Rushaway. First post is 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern), with the Jeff Ruby Steaks scheduled for 6:25 p.m.

The race will air on CNBC as part of the network’s Road to the Kentucky Derby coverage, with wagering available via TwinSpires.com, the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Incorporated and the Kentucky Derby.

Poster, a homebred for Godolphin, trained by Eoin Harty, started his career last year with wins in an Ellis Park maiden race and Keeneland allowance. He closed out his 2-year-old season with a determined victory in the Remsen at Aqueduct. The son of Frosted returned with a fast-closing third-place finish in the Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs, finishing behind TwinSpires Louisiana Derby (GII) entrant John Hancock and eventual Tampa Bay Derby (GIII) winner Owen Almighty. Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez will be in the irons from post No. 9

California Burrito, owned by Aaron and Victoria Haberman and trained by Tommy Drury Jr., secured his spot in the Jeff Ruby Steaks with a gutsy victory in the John Battaglia Memorial, holding off favored Baby Max. The son of Army Mule was dominant in his prior start, rolling to a 7 ¼-length allowance victory at Turfway. Irving Moncada will have the call from post 3.

Among the other top contenders entered in the Jeff Ruby Steaks is Charlie’s to Blame, who captured the Kitten’s Joy Stakes on the Gulfstream Park for owners BG Stables, Roadrunner Racing, SAF Racing, West Coast Stables, Barbara Evenson, and Jeffrey Lambert. The Peter Eurton trainee could be one of the early pacesetters in the Jeff Ruby Steaks and will be ridden by Juan Hernandez from post 2.

The field also features several other accomplished 3-year-olds, including He’s Not Joking, winner of Woodbine’s Grey Stakes (GIII); Baby Max, the Leonatus Stakes winner; Innovator, who finished third in the Lecomte Stakes (GIII) at Fair Grounds and Flying Mohawk, an impressive last-out allowance winner.

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

Calling Card (Adam Beschizza, Mike Maker, 20-1)
Charlie’s to Blame (Hernandez, Eurton, 15-1)
California Burrito (Moncada, Drury, 7-2)
Final Gambit (Luan Machado, Brad Cox, 6-1)
Flying Mohawk (Joe Ramos, Whit Beckman, 15-1)
Baby Max (Abel Cedillo, Kelsey Danner, 5-1)
Giocoso (Jaime Torres, Keith Desormeaux, 30-1)
Innovator (Nik Juarez, Wayne Lukas 30-1)
Poster (Velazquez, Harty, 3-1)
Maximum Promise (Frankie Dettori, Kenny McPeek, 5-1)
Curvino (Gerardo Corrales, Peter Miller, 20-1)
He’s Not Joking (Rafael Hernandez, Josie Carroll, 15-1)
AE: Candytown (Velazquez, Pletcher, 30-1)

For more information about Jeff Ruby Steaks Day, visit Turfway.com.

CINCINNATI TROPHY WINNER WHITE ROCKS LEADS FULL FIELD OF 12 3-YEAR-OLD FILLIES IN $300,000 BOURBONETTE OAKS – Jastar Capital, Polivka Equine Holding and Timothy Madden’s impressive Cincinnati Trophy Stakes winner White Rocks is set to face a field of 12 3-year-old fillies plus two also-eligibles entered in Saturday’s 43^rd running of the $300,000 Bourbonette Oaks (Listed) at Turfway Park Racing & Gaming, a Championship Series contest on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks.

White Rocks winning the Cincinnati Trophy Stakes. Coady Media

The Bourbonette Oaks, run at 1 1/16 miles, will go as Race 11 of 13 with a post time of 5:43 p.m. The stellar program, featuring the $777,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks, will begin at 12:45 p.m.

White Rocks, trained by Arnaud Delacour, cruised to a 1 ¼-length victory in the Feb. 21 Cincinnati Trophy under jockey Victor Carrasco. The speedy daughter of Frosted has been based at Turfway throughout the winter where she broke her maiden by an eye catching six lengths on Jan. 16. Carrasco will return to Turfway Park for the mount in the Bourbonette Oaks and break from post No. 11.

Claiborne Farm’s Admit will attempt to make up 1 ¼ lengths on her rival White Rocks in the Bourbonette Oaks. Trained by Tommy Drury Jr. Admit made her stakes debut in the Cincinnati Trophy, tracking from off the pace to finish second under Irving Moncada. The regally-bred daughter of Blame drew post 3 in the Bourbonette Oaks and will be reunited with Moncada.

The third place finisher of the Cincinnati Trophy, Somethinabouther, will return for the Bourbonette Oaks. Owned by X-Men Racing IV, Madaket Stables and SF Racing, Somethinabouther’s resume is topped by a victory on Nov. 3 in the Mazarine Stakes (GIII) at Woodbine for trainer Brendan Walsh. The daughter of Mendelssohn closed from 11 lengths behind White Rocks in the Cincinnati Trophy to only be defeated 2 ½ lengths. Declan Cannon will have the mount from post 2.

The field for the Bourbonette Oaks from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

Resolve (Umberto Rispoli, Leonard Powell)
Somethinabouther (Cannon, Walsh)
Admit (Moncada, Drury)
Zealous Moon (Jaime Torres, Riley Mott)
Bless the Broken (John Velazquez, Will Walden)
Getting After It (Juan Hernandez, Michael Puhich)
As Catch Can (Frankie Dettori, Jonathan Thomas)
Golden Sunshine (Vincent Cheminaud, Eoin Harty)
Fixin to Bee (Corey Lanerie, Rusty Arnold II)
Just Ruthless (Gabe Saez, Destin Heath)
White Rocks (Carrasco, Delacour)
Will Then (Gerardo Corrales, Jonathan Thomas)
AE: Bracelet (Luan Machado, Brad Cox)
AE: Classic Appeal (Albin Jiminez, John Hancock)

The Bourbonette Oaks will award the top 5 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), held Friday, May 2 at Churchill Downs.

ENCINO RETURNS TO TURFWAY PARK FOR $300,000 TWINSPIRES KENTUCKY CUP CLASSIC –Godolphin’s graded stakes winner Encino is set for his Turfway Park return where he’ll face 11 rivals entered in Saturday’s 25^th running of the $300,000 TwinSpires Kentucky Cup Classic (Grade III), one of six stakes contests on Jeff Ruby Steaks Day.

Run at 1 1/8 miles, the Kentucky Cup Classic field goes to post at 5:13 p.m. in Race 10 of 13. First post is 12:45 p.m.

Trained by Brad Cox, Encino was an impressive winner of the 2024 John Battaglia Memorial (Listed) at Turfway Park. Following that race, Encino scored a gutsy three-quarters of a length victory in the Lexington Stakes (GIII) at Keeneland but went to the sidelines just prior to the Preakness Stakes (GI). Now as a 4-year-old, the son of Nyquist returned Jan. 16 at Fair Grounds, cruising to a gate-to-wire victory against allowance company but recently disappointed in the Gulfstream Park Mile (GII). Jockey Luan Machado will have the call in the Kentucky Cup Classic from post No. 6.

Encino will face several accomplished rivals in the Kentucky Cup Classic field including Bennie Isaacs and Lisa Williams’ Dust Commander Stakes winner Chiron; Colbart Stables and Michael McCarthy Racing Stable’s graded stakes placed Lord Bullingdon; Paradise Farms Corp. Prairie Bayou winner Paros and Brendan Walsh’s graded stakes winner Verstappen.

The field for the Kentucky Cup Classic in order of post position (with jockey and trainer):

Highestdistinction (Adam Beschizza, Lindsay Schultz)
Paros (Juan Hernandez, Mike Maker)
Verstappen (Declan Cannon, Brendan Walsh)
Mercante (Joe Ramos, Brian Knippenberg)
Gamer (Oscar Villarreal, Hugo Andrade)
Encino (Machado, Cox)
Tapit Shoes (Evin Roman, Ed Moger Jr.)
Hush of a Storm (Vincent Cheminaud, Brad Cox)
Tall Boy (Rafael Hernandez, Doug O’Neill)
Utah Beach (Frankie Dettori, Ignacio Correas IV)
Lord Bullingdon (Umberto Rispoli, Michael McCarthy)
Chiron (Sophie Doyle, Richie Estvanko)
AE: Tucson (John Velazquez, Todd Pletcher)

Fans can watch and wager on all the action from Saturday’s Jeff Ruby Steaks Day program on www.twinspires.com, the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Incorporated and the Kentucky Derby.

Live, on-site coverage throughout the card will be shown on FanDuel TV.

MY CHARMER WINNER DANA’S BEAUTY RETURNS TO TURFWAY PARK FOR TITLE DEFENSE OF $250,000 LATONIA STAKES – Resolute Racing’s classy mare Dana’s Beauty returns to Turfway Park and will face 11 fillies and mares while defending her title in the 43^rd running of the $250,000 Latonia Stakes (Listed), part of the Jeff Ruby Steaks program next Saturday at Turfway Park Racing & Gaming.

Run at 1 1/16 miles, the Latonia Stakes will kick off the stakes brigade in Race 7 at 3:43 p.m. First post is 12:45 p.m. for the 13-race program that’s headlined by the $777,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks in Race 12.

Trained by Mike Maker, Dana’s Beauty scored a 4 ½-length victory two starts ago in the My Charmer Stakes at Turfway Park. The classy 7-year-old daughter of Not This Time has enjoyed success throughout her 44-race campaign including 11 wins and earnings of $822,533. Among those 11 wins include a 2 ¾-legnth win in last year’s Latonia Stakes. Juan Hernandez will ride out of post No. 5.

Among the other entrants to the Latonia include two dominant allowance winners: Ann Harrison and Renata Hendrickson’s Dazzlin’ Dictator, who crushed eight rivals by 11 ¼ lengths on Feb. 7 and TEC Racing’s Takemetothebeach who dominated three rivals by 11 ½ lengths on Feb. 14.

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

Takemetothebeach (Rafael Hernandez, Doug Cowans)
Breezing Along (Angel Serpa, Ana Meah)
Everland (Abel Cedillo, Eric Foster)
Sand and Sea (John Velazquez, Riley Mott)
Dana’s Beauty (Hernandez, Maker)
Long Ago (GB) (Umberto Rispoli, Brendan Walsh)
Austere (Gerardo Corrales, Brendan Walsh)
Dazzlin’ Dictator (Luan Machado, Rodolphe Brisset)
Peak Popularity (Chris Emigh, Brittany Vanden Berg)
Distorted d’Oro (Jaime Torres, Mike Stidham)
Lady Firefoot (Declan Cannon, Melanie Giddings)
Dreaming of Mo (Corey Lanerie, Dale Romans)

MULTIPLE STAKES WINNER KALE’S ANGEL MAKES TAPETA DEBUT IN ANIMAL KINGDOM STAKES –Tom Kagele and Ernest Marchosky’s multiple stakes-winning sprinter Kale’s Angel tops eight 3-year-olds entered in next Saturday’s 39^th running of the $250,000 Animal Kingdom Stakes at Turfway Park Racing & Gaming.

Run at six furlongs, the Animal Kingdom is one of six stakes contests on Saturday’s Jeff Ruby Steaks Day program. Named in honor of the Kentucky Derby 137 winner, the field will go to post in 9 at 4:43 p.m. First post is 12:45 p.m.

Kale’s Angel, trained by Peter Miller, scored a gutsy victory on Jan. 18 in the Renaissance Stakes at Oaklawn. The son of Complexity briefly tested the Road to the Kentucky Derby in the Smarty Jones Stakes where he finished third behind Coal Battle. Prior to that start, he was a powerful 5 ¾-length winner of the Advent Stakes going 5 ½ furlongs. Jockey Ramon Vazquez has the assignment from post No. 7.

Another accomplished sprinter entered in the Animal Kingdom is Cash is King and LC Racing’s stakes winner Global Steve. Trained by Butch Reid Jr., Global Steve crushed 11 rivals on debut at Parx and returned one month later to win the Parx Future Stars Stakes by 1 ½ lengths. Global Steve’s connections tested him on the Road to the Kentucky Derby in the Withers but finished a disappointing sixth in the 1 1/8-mile contest. Parx-based jockey Mychel Sanchez has the call from post 8.

The field for the Animal Kingdom from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

Piquant (Gabe Saez, David Jacobson)
Killjoy (Julio Felix, Eric Foster)
Mo Hair Sam (Corey Lanerie, John Hancock)
Coming in Hot (Luan Machado, John Ennis)
Shan (Evin Roman, Ed Moger Jr.)
Big Vince (Gerardo Corrales, Larry Rivelli)
Kale’s Angel (Vazquez, Miller)
Global Steve (Sanchez, Reid)

CALIFORNIA SHIPPER GAME WARRIOR HEADLINES COMPETITIVE FIELD IN $250,000 RUSHAWAY –Jethorse’s Southern California-based shipper Game Warrior is set to invade Turfway Park and face seven fellow 3-year-olds entered in an ultra-competitive 38^th running of the $250,000 Rushaway Stakes, part of the undercard on next Saturday’s Jeff Ruby Steaks Day.

The 1 1/16-mile Rushaway is one of six stakes contests on Jeff Ruby Steaks Day at Turfway Park which features the $777,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (Grade III). The Rushaway will go as Race 8 at 4:13 p.m., first post is 12:45 p.m.

Trained by Peter Miller, Game Warrior recently finished second in the Baffle Stakes on the turf at Santa Anita. The son of Game Winner also sports a game fourth-place effort in the Cecil B. DeMille Stakes (GIII) at Del Mar. Umberto Rispolihas the mount from post No. 3.

Here’s the field from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):