NKyTribune staff
The $250,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway Park Saturday came down to a battle between the bettors’ top two choices trained by the meet’s top two trainers, with 7-2 Field Pass getting up in the final jump to defeat 6-5 favorite Invader by a neck and give trainer Mike Maker his sixth victory in the race. Invader is trained by Wesley Ward, who currently leads the trainer standings with 17 wins to Maker’s 16.
Field Pass (#12) passed Ignite at the wire to take the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway Park in Florence Saturday. The race earned Field Pass 20 Kentucky Derby Points (photo by Mark Hansel). Click to enlarge.
Fancy Liquor, who was entered off his debut maiden special weight win at Gulfstream and is also trained by Maker, was another two lengths back in third.
Fancy Liquor led the way, setting the first quarter-mile in :23.76, the half-mile in :47.78 and the six-furlong mark in 1:11.72. Invader raced just behind in second, while Field Pass was third to Invader’s outside. Invader was keen to go, with jockey Albin Jimenez taking hold while feeling pressure from Field Pass and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. Invader challenged Fancy Liquor approaching the final turn and edged ahead at the top of the stretch, but he couldn’t hold off a determined final surge from Field Pass. Final time for the 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds was 1:49.34.
“I was worried right down to the wire,” said Maker. “I try to bring some of my better turf horses for the Ruby. It’s paid off over the years. He ran a great race off the bench in the Dania Beach in a very competitive field and I thought he would run very well here. He’s a good-sized horse. His conformation’s great. Great mind on him.”
“He broke sharp coming out of there,” said Ortiz. “He put me in a good spot in third, outside the favorite, and I tried to wait. I was close; I wasn’t too far back. When I asked him, it took some time to get going. It wasn’t easy to catch him (Invader), but he got the job done. They went a little slow. My horse wanted to go really bad and I didn’t want to struggle with him, so I let him go.”
Halo Again was fourth, followed by Victory Boulevard (also a Maker trainee), The Stiff, Myamanoi, Dack Janiel’s, Austrian, Toma Todo and Unthrottled. Finnick the Fierce was scratched by his trainer.
The Jeff Ruby Steaks awards points toward the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), with 20 going to Field Pass, eight to Invader, four to Fancy Liquor and two to Halo Again. Invader, Fancy Liquor and Halo Again are Triple Crown-nominated. Field Pass is not. Should owner Kirk Wycoff of Three Diamonds Farm wish to pursue the Kentucky Derby, he would have to pay the late nomination fee of $6,000 by the March 30 deadline. While Maker said he would discuss the idea with the Wycoffs, he expects Field Pass will aim for the American Turf (G2) on the Kentucky Derby undercard.
Field Pass paid $9.60, $4.20 and $3.40. Invader paid $3.40 and $2.60, while Fancy Liquor paid $4.60 to show.
By Lemon Drop Kid out of Only Me, by Runaway Groom, Field Pass was bred by Mark Brown Grier in Maryland and as such is ineligible for the $50,000 portion of the Jeff Ruby Steaks purse provided by the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund. The Jeff Ruby Steaks win pushed Field Pass’s earnings to $291,210 and his record to 3-2-0 in eight starts.
Queen Of God wins $150,000 Maxim Crane Works Bourbonette Oaks
Winners Circle Racing Stable’s Queen of God was able to hold off the late charge of Pass the Plate to win Saturday’s $150,000 Maxim Crane Works Bourbonette Oaks (Listed) at Turfway Park.
Queen of God in the paddock following her win in the Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park Saturday (photo by Mark Hansel). Click to enlarge
Queen of God is also trained by Maker and was ridden to victory by Ortiz Jr., Queen of God earned 20 points on the Road to the Longines Kentucky Oaks. Runner-up Pass the Plate earned 8 points, while third- and fourth-place finishers Impeccable Style and Laura’s Light earned 4 and 2 points, respectively.
Laura’s Light, the 4-5 race favorite, battled on the lead throughout the early running of the Bourbonette Oaks with 33-1 longshot Swanage. The duo dueled through the opening quarter-mile in :23.91 and the half in :47.64. Queen of God began her move at the three-eighths pole while tracking 3 1/2 lengths off the early leaders. Laura’s Light continued in hand around the far turn as Queen of God tipped three wide past a tiring Swanage. Ortiz and Queen of God were able to hold off a surging late run by Pass the Plate, who was very green in deep stretch under Florent Geroux, to win the Bourbonette Oaks by three-quarters of a length. Final time for the mile was 1:37.77.
Queen of God returned $15.60, $5.60 and $4.20. Pass the Plate paid $4.60 and $3.40 while Impeccable Style held third and paid $3.80.
A field of 11 3-year-old fillies contested the Bourbonette Oaks, with Laura’s Light, Las Ramblas, Kay Bee Gee, Baby Karats, Oxum Power, A Wicked Wildcat, Swanage and Fashion Code completing the running order. Mama’s Grey Ghost was an early scratch and Secretly Wicked was a late scratch at the gate.
Queen of God now boasts a career record of 7-4-0-0. The 3-year-old filly by Paynter was transferred to Maker’s care in early February.
The card was run without spectators due to concerns related to the coronavirus (COVID-19). Only owners, trainers, essential personnel and credentialed media were in attendance. For a recap of the other stakes races on the Jeff Ruby Steaks Day card, click here.
