A nonprofit publication of the Kentucky Center for Public Service Journalism

Turfway draws post positions for Jeff Ruby Steaks; Hazit, Ride a Comet are morning-line co-favorites


Oddsmaker Mike Battaglia has made Todd Pletcher’s Hazit and Mark Casse’s Ride a Comet 5-1 morning line co-favorites for the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3), set to run Saturday at Turfway Park.
 
Owner John Oxley purchased Ride a Comet out of the Ocala Breeders’ Sale of 2-year-olds in training last April for $375,000. The Candy Ride colt broke his maiden in the fourth of his five starts, a 1 1/16-mile test at Fair Grounds that was taken off the turf. He won his next and most recent outing as well, about a mile on the turf, also at Fair Grounds.

At the drawing for post positions. (Tribune photo by Mark Hansel)

“He’s doing extremely well right now,” said Casse. “We bought him off the OBS sale and that’s a synthetic track and he seemed to love it, so we decided to bring him here. He broke his maiden on dirt, but his turf win last out would also suggest he will take to a synthetic track.”
 
A couple of defections among those expected to enter the Jeff Ruby put Ride a Comet in the gate, and he drew post 11 in the field of 12 
“It’s a little further outside than I would’ve liked, but it’s better than the AEs,” Casse said. “He’s a pretty good horse and we’ll play the hand that was dealt to us.”
 
Hazit broke his maiden on debut at Saratoga in August and stepped immediately into Grade 1 company, finishing off the board in both the Champagne Stakes at Belmont and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar. After a three-and-a-half month layoff, he made his first start this year in an optional allowance at Tampa Bay, setting the pace before settling for second, beaten just a length.
 
Battaglia set a compact morning line for the Jeff Ruby Steaks, with four horses at 6-1, four at 12-1 and two at 15-1 behind the co-favorites. All contenders will carry 123 lbs. The Jeff Ruby Steaks field from the rail out, with jockey assignments and morning line odds:

Saturday’s card offers an all-stakes Pick 5 on the sixth race and an all-stakes Pick 4 on the seventh race. The first of 12 races on Saturday’s card is set for 1:10 p.m. ET.

From Turfway Park
 


Related Posts

Leave a Comment