Jeff Ruby Stakes Racing Roundup

©2018 Calvin L. Carter. All rights reserved.

This Saturday, the Road to the Kentucky Derby takes us to Turfway Park in Florence, Kentucky, where HAZIT and RIDE A COMET have been tagged as the 5-1, morning line co-favorites in the 47^th running of the $200,000 Jeff Ruby Stakes (G3). Despite their favoritism, there are others I like better in this race which goes to post at 6 p.m. ET.

ARCHAGGELOS (6-1) comes into this race with a 2-1-0 record in four starts for trainer Michael Dickinson including a fourth-place finish in the Display Stakes. Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

ARCHAGGELOS raced two-wide between foes in mid-pack on the opening turn, stalked the leading trio while racing three-wide on the far turn, drifted inwards and bumped into THUNDER RIDE at the 1/8^th pole and chased to the wire.

Archaggelos stalked the leaders until the far turn and was beginning to make a move in the stretch when he was cut off by Admiralty Pier who veered left and would go on to win the Display Stakes.

Temple City, the sire of Archaggelos, was a graded stakes winner that compiled a 4-2-4 record in 15 starts.

Unraced as a two-year-old, Temple City won his only start as a three-year-old and followed that with a third-place finish in the Del Mar Handicap at the age of four.

Temple City earned graded stakes honors as a five-year-old with a win in the Cougar II Handicap (G3) and second-place finishes in both the American Handicap (G2) and the Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes (G1).

Archaggelos has an A Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® and he was a horse we profiled (Hip 2138) at the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. A bay colt by Temple City out of Mien by Nureyev, Archaggelos is a half-brother to dual classic winner Big Brown and he was a $200,000 RNA for consignor Monticule, LLC.

Archaggelos has not raced since December but, despite the layoff, he’s been training well at Michael Dickinson’s Tapeta Farm and a recent bullet work out could have him ready to run a big race in his debut as a three year old.

SKY PROMISE (12-1) comes into this race with a 1-2-3 record in 10 starts for trainer Ken McPeek including a second-place finish in the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes. Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

SKY PROMISE trailed the field early while far back, fanned into the seven path in the far turn, raced widest down the lane, was flying late but did not have enough in the final stages.

Sky Promise raced at the back of the herd until the half when he finally made his run to close with authority in the stretch but finished short one half length shy of victory to the winner, Magicalmeister.

Sky Mesa, the sire of Sky Promise, was a multiple graded-stakes winner that compiled a 3-1-1 record in six starts with $633,076 in career earnings.

As a two-year-old, Sky Mesa was undefeated in three starts with stakes wins in the Hopeful Stakes (G1) and Lane’s End Breeders’ Futurity (G2).

At the age of three, Sky Mesa compiled an 0-1-1 record in three stars with a second-place finish in the Haskell Invitational Handicap (G2) and third-place in the Dwyer Stakes (G2).

Sky Promise has a C Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® and that makes him competitive in this race. I really like the way he closed in his last race and a repeat of that form could, perhaps, make him tough in the Jeff Ruby Stakes (G3).

MAGICALMEISTER (12-1) comes into this race with a 2-0-1 record in three starts for trainer James Chapman including a win in the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes. Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

MAGICALMEISTER chased the pace early, swung into the six path in the far turn, took over command nearing the eighth pole, quickly drew clear and held off rival in the final stages.

Magicalmeister tracked the leader and drew clear in the stretch to win by only a half of a length.

Bodemeister, the sire of Magicalmeister, did not race until the age of three when he made six starts for Hall of Fame Trainer Bob Baffert, compiling a 2-4-0 record in six starts with $1,304,800 in career earnings.

He raced twice in the maiden ranks before finishing second in his third start, the San Felipe Stakes (G2). In his fourth start, Baffert shipped Bodemeister to Oaklawn Park where he was my pick to win the Arkansas Derby (G1). Bodemeister trounced the field, winning by an outstanding 9½ lengths. He then went on to finish second in both the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1).

Magicalmeister has a B Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® and he has the breeding to be competitive in this race.

PONY UP (6-1) comes into this race with a 1-3-0 record in five starts for trainer Todd Pletcher including a fifth-place finish in the Holy Bull Stakes (G2) last out. Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

PONY UP raced three to four wide in the first turn then raced off the early pace, came under ride and continued driving three wide upper stretch, lacked needed kick for impact.

Pony Up finished in the money in his first four starts and he’s a better horse than his performance in the Holy Bull indicates.

Aikenite, the sire of Pony Up, was a multiple graded-stakes winner that raced until the age of five and compiled a 5-4-3 record in 24 starts with $875,385 in career earnings.

As a two-year-old, Aikenite was 1-1-1 in four starts with a second-place finish in the Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity Stakes (G1) and a third-place finish in the Three Chimney’s Hopeful Stakes (G1).

As a three-year-old, he was 2-1-1 in 11 starts with a second-place finish in The Cliff’s Edge Derby Trail Stakes (G3) and he finished third in the Fasig-Tipon Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2).

Aikenite was 2-2-1 in eight starts as a four-year-old with stakes wins in the Commonwealth Stakes (G2) and Churchill Downs Stakes (G2). He finished second in the Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes (G3) and third in the Forego Stakes (G1).

At the age of five, Aikenite finished fourth in his only start.

Pony Up has a C Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® but his Behavior Index potentially makes him competitive in this race,

*****

This is the sixth consecutive year for Churchill Downs to use a point system to determine eligibility to get into the Kentucky Derby starting gate. A total of 36 races comprise the Road to the Kentucky Derby and a significant change to the schedule is the addition of the Springboard Mile at Remington Park on December 17.

In addition to the Japan road to the Derby which features the Cattleya Sho Stakes (November 25), Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushan Stakes (December 13) and Hayacinth Stakes (February 2018), Churchill Downs has added a European road to Derby glory consisting of seven races: Juddmonte Beresford (September 24), Juddmonte Royal Lodge (September 30), Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère (October 1), Racing Post Trophy (October 28, Road to the Kentucky Derby Condition Stakes (March 1), Patton (March 2) and the Burradon (March 30).

2018 KENTUCKY DERBY LEADERBOARD

Ranking, total points, Trainer, Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings

1. Bravazo, 54, D. Wayne Lukas, $349,913

2. +Good Magic, 24, Chad Brown, $1,200,000

3. Firenze Fire, 24, Jason Servis, $567,500

4. Snapper Sinclair, 22, Steve Asmussen, $301,810

5. McKinzie, 20, Bob Baffert, $240,000

6. Instilled Regard, 19, Jerry Hollendorfer, $196,000

7. Bolt d’Oro, 14, Mick Ruis, $540,000

8. +Free Drop Billy, 14, Dale Romans, $467,200

9. +Solomini, 14, Bob Baffert, $436,000

10. Catholic Boy, 14, Jonathan Thomas, $330,000

11. Avery Island, 14, Kiaran McLaughlin, $320,000

12. Enticed, 13, Kiaran McLaughlin, $180,880

13. My Boy Jack, 12, Keith Desormeaux, $402,000

14. Combatant, 12, Steve Asmussen, $210,000

15. Mourinho, 11, Bob Baffert, $149,360

16. Greyvitos, 10, Adam Kitchingman, $300,000

17. Audible, 10, Todd Pletcher, $208,320

18. Lombo, 10, Mike Pender, $90,000

19. Noble Indy, 10, Todd Pletcher, $40,000

20. Tiz Mischief, 6, Dale Romans, $70,400

+ = Horses we picked as yearlings at the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Good Magic = Eclipse Champion Two Year Old Male.

EUROPEAN ROAD LEADERBOARD

Ranking, total points, Trainer, Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings

1. *MENDELSSOHN, 20, Aidan O’Brien, $747,307

2. Saxon Warrior (JPN), 20, Aidan O’Brien, $245,017

3. *GRONKOWSKI, 20, Jeremy Noseda, $0

4. Roaring Lion (USA), 14, John Gosden, $136,807

5. f-Happily (IRE), 10, Aidan O’Brien, $543,648

6. *THREEANDFOURPENCE, 8, Aiden O’Brien, $54,076

7. Court House (IRE), 8, John Gosden, $0

8. *SEAHENGE, 4, Aiden O’Brien, $145,630

9. Olmedo (FR), 4, Jean-Claude Rouget, $113,505

10. Nelson (IRE), 4, Aidan O’Brien, $99,826

11. Delano Roosevelt (IRE), 4, Aidan O’Brien, $38,074

12. Fortune’s Pearl (IRE), 4, Andrew Balding, $1,800

13. Masar (IRE), 2, Aidan O’Brien, $101,264

14. The Pentagon (IRE), 2, Aidan O’Brien, $71.981

15. Mildenberger (ENG), 2, Mark Johnston, $64,634

16. Warm the Voice (IRE), 2, Brendan Duke, $12,904

17. f-Blackgold Fairy, 2, Michael Halford, $4,618

18. Ventura Knight (IRE), 2, Mark Johnston, $0

19. Verbal Dexterity (IRE), 1, Jim Bolger, $280,269

20. Kew Gardens (IRE), 1, Aidan O’Brien, $28,605

21. Woodmax (GER), 1, Nicolas Clement, $23,610

22. Petrus (IRE), 1, Brian Meehan, $7,182

          *Mendelssohn, Gronkowski, Threeandfourpence and Seahenge are only horses nominated for Triple Crown. Here’s the video of Mendelssohn’s win in the Patton Stakes. Here’s the video of Gronkowski’s win in the Conditions Stakes.

JAPAN ROAD LEADERBOARD

Ranking, total points, Trainer, Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings

1. Sumahama (JPN), 30, Ryo Takahashi, $291,287

2. *RUGGERO (JPN), 16, Yuichi Shikato, $220,861

3. Taiki Ferveur, 12, Mitsunori Makiura, $299,689

4. Le Vent Se Leve (JPN), 10, Kiyoshi Hagiwara, $463,935

5. Don Fortis (JPN), 4, Mitsunori Makiura, $436,916

6. Mic Ben Hur (JPN), 4, Yoshihiro Hatakeyama, $122,696

7. Great Time (JPN), 3, Hideaki Fujiwara, $186,586

8. Haseno Pyro (JPN), 2, Kenki Sato, $263,981

9. Meiner Yukitsubaki (JPN) 2, Noboru Takagi, $151,796

10. Dark Repulser (JPN), 1, Takashi Kanari, $200,920

11. Bronze Kay (JPN), 1, Koichi Tsunoda, $75,979

*Ruggero is the only horse nominated for Triple Crown. Here’s the video of his last race, Hyacinth Stakes.