A riveting performance by Final Gambit under Luan Machado. (Jenny Doyle/Past The Wire)
The Brad Cox trainee scored 100 Kentucky Derby qualifying points for a sure “In”; Will Walden trainee earns 50 for a run for the lilies
Compiled and edited by Maribeth Kalinich
Turfway Park in Henderson, Ky., hosted a 13-race card on Saturday that included a juicy Kentucky Derby prep in the Jeff Ruby Steaks worth 100 points to the victor, a confident Final Gambit.
Coming down to the final stretch of the Road to the Kentucky Derby, the race was also worth 50, 25, 10 and 5 qualifying points for finishers two through five.
Also on the card was the Bourbonette Oaks for the ladies offering points for the Kentucky Oaks. Bless the Broken received 50 points for her victory with the next four finishers earning 25, 15, 10 and 5 points to the quest for the lilies.
Big points are on the line in the last five preps for the roses with two big weekends in a row. March 29th is the Florida Deby at Gulfstream Park and the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park. The following weekend are the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct and Santa Anita Derby. Also that weekend is the Blue Grass at Keeneland on Saturday and the Lexington there on April 12 to wrap up the road.
The final five Kentucky Oaks preps offer 100 points to each of the winners. Two preps happen next Saturday—the Gulfstream Park Oaks and the Fantasy at Oaklawn. The final three are the following weekend with the Ashland at Keeneland, the Gazelle at Aqueduct and the Santa Anita Oaks.
The fillies and mares kicked off stakes action at Turfway with Race 7 and the $250,000 Latonia Stakes at 1-1/16 miles on the All-weather Track. The race name comes from Turfway Park’s original name, Latonia Park.
Resolute Racing’s Dana’s Beauty ($6.80) with Juan Hernandez aboard bests Sand and Sea with Hall of Fame Johnny V paying ($8.18). Austere ($2.96.) was third.
Dana’s Beauty floated out the first turn, stayed wide to quarter pole, and rallied clear to the wire under stout handling. Sand and Sea chasing pace between horses and kept on in the stretch run for place. Austere saved ground to the far turn, and kept on gamely for third spot. Takemetothebeach had rail speed to the front, stayed to far turn, and weakened stretch. Dazzlin’ Dictator had no speed to far turn and never menaced in the stretch. Long Ago (GB) off rail to far turn, dropped back readily to the wire.
Breezing Along, Distorted d’Oro, Dreaming of Mo and Lady Firefoot were stakes scratches. Everland and Peak Popularity were vet scratches.
Bred in Kentucky by John Liviakis, the 7-year-old mare is the daughter of Not This Time out of City Zip mare City Siren.
The Mike Maker trainee was making her 45th career start with 12 victories, six seconds and nine thirds and is on the cusp of being a millionaire with $974,603 in earnings.
The $250,000 Rushaway Stakes for 3-year-olds at the same distance was won by Tom Lambro’s Banks ($6.74) piloted by Frankie Dettori.
Trained by Joe Sharp, Banks raced back early on, began a rally along the far turn, split horses near the five-sixteenths pole, took over command from the outside near the quarter pole, was in the two path into the lane, drew clear down the lane under a heavy drive. In a final time of 1:45.92.
Megalodon was unhurried early on, raced in the six path entering the lane, came in and bumped foe in the upper stretch, chased the leader down the lane and was gaining in the final stages. End Of Romance (IRE) trailed the field early on, was in the five path into the lane, bumped in the upper stretch, made a bid down the lane but flattened out late in the drive.
Game Warrior chased the pace early, was in the four path into the lane while making a bid but weakened late in the stretch run. Urban Planner was well placed early on, raced in the three path into the lane, was shuffled a bit in the stretch but came again late and improved position.
Coalmoon set the pace from the outset, was near the rail into the lane and faltered late in the stretch drive. Baker Hayfield stalked the pace early on, raced in the three path into the lane while making a bid but faded late in the stretch. Mister Rosso bobbled at the start and was through after a half.
Fractions were 24.68, 49.84, 1:15.41 and 1:39.76.
An Outwork gelding bred in Kentucky by E. H. Beau Lane, Banks is out of a Fed Biz mare, Blip Says Bye.
With three career victories, this was the dark bay’s first win as a 3-year-old.
At six furlongs the $250,000 Animal Kingdom named for Graham Motion’s Kentucky Derby champion was won by Kale’s Angel ($8.24) with Ramon Vazquez in the irons. Corey Lanerie brought in Mo Hair Sam who paid a tidy $18.48 for second.
Kale’s Angel off rail in the run to the turn, drifted out into the stretch and drove clear to the wire under stout handling. Mo Hair Sam had no speed to the turn and rallied on in the stretch with a run for the place spot. Big Vince acted up in the gate, sprinted clear at once, and folded in the stretch for show.
Coming In Hot raced between horses to the turn, kept on in the stretch while evenly and no gain. Piquant inside run to turn with no response in the stretch run. Shan made an outside run with no kick from the turn into the stretch. Killjoy was up close in two path, pressed to the turn but gave way readily in the stretch run.
Kale’s Angel was coming off a victory in the Renaissance Stakes at Oaklawn Jan. 18 after finishing third in the Smarty Jones there two weeks before. With career earnings of $400,765, the Complexity colt now has four wins with one third in eight starts.
Bred by Brereton C. Jones the Complexity colt out of Malibu Moon Mare Love Affair is owned Tom Kagele and Ernest Marchosky.
After dueling with Encino under Luan Machado Carl F. Pollard’s homebred Mercante took the Grade 3, $300,000 TwinSpires Kentucky Cup Classic.
Inching ahead of Encino with Joseph Ramos aboard the son of Gun Runner took the prize by one length in a final time of 1:49.08. for the 1-1/8 miles for 4-year-olds and up. The 5-year-old gelding rewarded his faithful with $28.50 for the win for trainer Brian Knippenberg.
Mercante raced in the three path along the first turn, stalked the pace early on, was in the three path into the lane, pulled away with a rival in the stretch under a long duel, and inched away in the final stages. Encino set the pace from the outset, raced in the two path into the lane, pulled away with foe down the lane under a long duel but gave in during the final stages. Hush Of A Storm trailed the field early on, raced in the seven path entering the lane and moved up in the stretch run.
Utah Beach raced back early on, was in the two path into the lane, altered out in the upper stretch and improved position down the lane. Gamer was reserved early on, raced in the five path into the lane and leveled off late in the stretch drive. Lord Bullingdon raced in the four path along the first turn, chased the pace down the backstretch, raced in the three path along the far turn, was in the four path into the lane and weakened late in the stretch.
Paros raced near the rail along the first turn, chased the early pace, was in the three path into the lane, and faded down the lane. Tapit Shoes was unhurried early, raced in the three path into the lane and lacked a rally in the stretch. Highestdistinction was done early from the inside. Chiron raced in the five path along the first turn, was in the four path in the far turn, swung into the six path entering the lane and was tired in the stretch run. Verstappen was through after a half.
Tall Boy and Tuscon were scratched.
Encino had set the opening quarter in 23.48 and all fractions of 47.28 and 1:12.05 up to the stretch run. Mercante took over completed the course in 1:49.08. His Equibase Speed Figure was a whopping 109.
Bred in Kentucky, Mercante is out of Honor and Glory mare Caressing.
The dark bay gelding was making his 11th career start and now has four victories including two this year coming off of an AOC win Feb. 12th.
John Velazquez piloting Bless the Broken ($15.18) would best Frankie Dettori aboard As Catch Can ($10.70) in the $300,000 Bourbonette Oaks at 1-1/16 miles. The William Walden-trained filly earned a spot in the Kentucky Oaks.
Bless The Broken unhurried early with a steady outside run to far turn turn, clear. As Catch Can pinched back start and had no speed to the far turn widest run up for place. Admit was inside close up to far turn, stayed on game in the stretch, evenly. Bracelet tracking leader in two path for three quarters, weakened stretch. White Rocks off rail run first turn to the front led to stretch weakened late.
Zealous Moon between horses to far turn, shuffled back quarter pole, evenly. Golden Sunshine had no speed to the far turn, angled widest into the stretch with no response. Somethinabouther saved ground to far turn, angled five into the stretch with no gain. Getting After It had no speed to far turn angled in stretch run never menaced. Resolve saved ground throughout to no avail. Just Ruthless was close up to the far turn with a quick fade back in the stretch run.
Classic Appeal, Fixin to Bee, and Will Then were stakes scratches.
Fractions were 24.24, 49.02, 1:13.69, 1:38.33 with a final time of 1:44.65.
A Cypress Creek Equine homebred, Bless the Broken is co-owned with Madaket Stables. The dark bay filly is the daughter of Laoban out of Tapit mare The Nightingale.
Scoring her second victory in seven career starts, Bless the Broken was coming off a third in the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra and second in the Silverbulletday Stakes earning Black Type.
$777,000 Grade 3, Jeff Ruby Steaks
The marquee event, the $777,000 Grade 3, Jeff Ruby Steaks offered a riveting performance by Final Gambit under Luan Machado.
Final Gambit was bumped and bothered at the start, trailed the field early on, began a move along the far turn from the four path, swung widest into the lane, rallied down the lane, drove past the leader six wide, and drew away in the late stages.
Flying Mohawk was bumped and bothered at the start, raced back early on, was in the three path along the far turn, in the five path into the lane under a rally, made a bid down the lane but was no match for the winner in the late stages. Maximum Promise chased the pace early on, raced in the four path along the far turn, was in the five path into the lane, rallied in the stretch and made a bid but hung in the final stages.
Favorite Poster raced between horses along the first turn while back early on, was in the four path into the lane, and came on late in the stretch while moving up. Giocoso was bumped and bothered at the start, raced in the three path along the far turn, tipped in the four path entering the lane under a rally, and made a bid down the lane but weakened late in the drive. Curvino raced in the four path along the far turn, was in the five path into the lane, and improved position down the lane.
California Burrito broke out at the start and bothered multiple foes, tracked the pace early on, raced three wide along the far turn, took over command nearing the lane, took over an awkward step near the eighth pole, and faltered late in the drive.
Innovator was bumped at the start, stalked the pace early on, raced in the two path along the far turn, was on the inside into the lane, and faded late in the stretch drive. Charlie’s To Blame set the pace from the outset, was on the inside into the lane, and gave way down the lane. Baby Max was bumped and bothered at the start, chased the pace early, raced in the three path into the lane, and was tired down the lane. He’s Not Joking was never a factor. Calling Card was through after a half.
Candytown was also eligible but did not go into the main field.
Fractions were a zippy opening quarter of 22.97 followed by 47.91, 1:12.84 with a final time of 1:50.10.
The Juddmonte homebred is the son of Not This Time out of Tapit mare Pachinko. Trained by Brad Cox, Final Gambit scored back-to-back wins after breaking his maiden Feb. 15 at Turfway.
Punters were rewarded handily with the long shot paying $32.14 for the win ($12.78, 8.40).
Machado doubled scoring the closer Allowance Optional Claiming race aboard Hilarious Affair ($10.60)
