Major Dude favored in 12-horse Jeff Ruby Steaks; Botanical tops 11 fillies in Bourbonette Oaks

Mar 22, 2023 Kevin Kerstein/Kentucky Racing Communications

Spendthrift Farm’s multiple graded stakes-winning three-year-old
Major Dude headlines a talented
field of 12 colts and geldings entered in Saturday’s
52nd running of the $700,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway Park.

The Jeff Ruby Steaks, a Road to
the Kentucky Derby Championship Series qualifier, will go as Race 12 of 13
with a post time of 6:25 p.m. (ET). First post for the stellar program will be
12:45 p.m. Along with the Jeff Ruby Steaks, the stakes-laden card will also feature
the 41st running of the $300,000 Bourbonette Oaks, a
Road to the Kentucky Oaks Championship Series qualifier.

The Jeff Ruby Steaks will offer the top five finishers
points on a 100-40-30-20-10 scale towards a spot in the starting gate for the $3 million
Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).

Two-time graded stakes winner Major Dude will invade Turfway
Park from his South Florida base for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. The
son of Bolt d’Oro tabbed his first stakes victory on Oct. 2 in the Pilgrim (G2)
at the Belmont at Aqueduct meet. Following a disappointing ninth-place effort
in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1), Major Dude made his three-year-old
debut in the Dania Beach at Gulfstream Park where he rallied for second at even-money.
In his last start, Major Dude contested the Kitten’s Joy (G3), defeating seven
rivals by 1 1/2 lengths under Irad Ortiz Jr.

Ortiz will once again have the mount on Major Dude in the
Jeff Ruby Steaks. Ortiz last rode at Turfway in 2020 when he won the Jeff Ruby
Steaks aboard Field Pass. Ortiz and Major Dude will break from the rail as the
morning line favorite at odds of 2-1.

Another talented 3-year-old that entered the Jeff Ruby
Steaks is two-time stakes winner Two
Phil’s. Trained by Larray Rivelli, Two Phil’s’ seven-race campaign has
solely been over dirt and the Jeff Ruby will be his first test on Tapeta. The
chestnut son of Hard Spun began his march to the Kentucky Derby after his
dominant 5 1/4-length victory in the Street Sense (G3) at Churchill Downs.
Following that effort, Two Phil’s was the
runner-up to Instant Coffee in January’s Lecomte (G3) and third to Angel of
Empire and Sun Thunder in the Risen Star (G2) a month later.

Based at Hawthorne the last four weeks, Two Phil’s arrived
at Turfway March 13 and has been training daily over the Florence, Kentucky
oval. Jockey Jareth Loveberry, who’s ridden Two Phil’s in his last six starts,
will have the call in the Jeff Ruby Steaks from post 10 as the 7-2 second
choice on oddsmaker Mike Battaglia’s morning line.

Among the other top competitors is John Battaglia Memorial
winner Congruent. Ridden by Kentucky Derby 148 winning jockey Sonny Leon,
Congruent invaded Turfway from Gulfstream Park and scored an impressive 3 1/2-length
victory in the John Battaglia Memorial. The gray son of Tapit will attempt to
duplicate that same effort from three weeks ago from post 8 with Leon in the
irons. Congruent was tabbed at odds of 5-1 on the morning line.

One of the top local contenders is Funtastic Again. Trained by 2021 Jeff Ruby Steaks winning
conditioner Wesley Ward, Funtastic Again has not returned to the races since
his stout 3 3/4-length win in the Leonatus S. at Turfway on Jan. 21. Prior to
the Leonatus Stakes, Funtastic Again dazzled in a first-level allowance contest
by 5 1/2 lengths at Turfway. Gerardo Corrales will ride the son of
Funtastic from post 4 at odds of 6-1.

Starting at 6 p.m., fans can watch the Jeff Ruby Steaks on a
special Road to the Kentucky Derby broadcast on CNBC. Wagering is available for
every race from Turfway Park on www.TwinSpires.com,
the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Inc.

Botanical, the
dazzling 6 1/2-length winner of the Cincinnati Trophy S. three weeks ago,
headlines a field of 11 three-year-old fillies entered in the 1 1/16-mile Bourbonette Oaks

The Bourbonette Oaks is one of six stakes events on the Jeff
Ruby Steaks Day card and has a scheduled post time of 5:43 p.m. The top five finishers
will receive points on a 50-20-15-10-5 scale towards the $1.25 million Kentucky
Oaks (G1) on May 5.

Trained by Brad Cox, Botanical is undefeated in three starts
at Turfway Park. The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro crushed a
field of 11 on Nov. 30 to break her maiden by 10 3/4 lengths. Two starts ago,
Botanical was tested against first-level allowance company and made quick work
of her nine rivals by 4 1/2 lengths. In the Cincinnati Trophy, Botanical sat
nine lengths behind a runaway pacesetter and easily defeated her six rivals as
the heavy 4-5 favorite. Jockey Chris Landeros will have the return call and
break from post No. 5.

Chief among Botanical’s top rivals is California shipper Ag Bullet. Trained by George
Papaprodromou, Ag Bullet is scheduled to make her first start outside
California in the Bourbonette Oaks. She exits a neck win in the Lady Shamrock S.,
and the gray daughter of Twirling Candy will break from post 11 with Umberto
Rispoli in the saddle.

Another stakes winner is Renegade Rebel. Trained by Mark Casse and ridden by Rafael
Hernandez, Renegade Rebel is slated to make her three-year-old debut in the
Bourbonette Oaks. As a two-year-old, Renegade Rebel impressively broke her
maiden by seven lengths at Woodbine and followed that victory one month later
with a front-running score in the Mazzarine S. (G3). Renegade Rebel will break
from the rail.