Poster heads Jeff Ruby field; White Rocks early choice in Bourbonette Oaks

Mar 17, 2025 Brisnet.com Staff

Poster wins at Keeneland. (Photo by Coady Media)

Poster, last year's Remsen (G2) winner, and California Burrito, the John Battaglia Memorial victor, headline a competitive field of 12 three-year-olds and one also-eligible entered in Saturday's $777,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway Park.

The 1 1/8-mile Jeff Ruby serves as a key stop on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, offering qualifying points on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale to the top five finishers for a spot in the $5 million Kentucky Derby (G1).

The Jeff Ruby is Race 12 on Turfway blockbuster 13-race program, which features six stakes, including the $300,000 Bourbonette Oaks, a Road to the Kentucky Oaks prep. The Jeff Ruby is scheduled for 6:25 p.m. ET, with wagering available via TwinSpires.com.

Poster, a homebred for Godolphin trained by Eoin Harty, closed out his two-year-old season with a determined victory in the Remsen at Aqueduct. The son of Frosted returned with a fast-closing third-place finish in the Sam F. Davis S. at Tampa Bay Downs, finishing behind John Hancock and eventual Tampa Bay Derby (G3) winner Owen Almighty. Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez will be in the irons.

California Burrito secured his spot in the Jeff Ruby with a gutsy victory in the John Battaglia Memorial, holding off favored Baby Max. The son of Army Mule was dominant in his prior start, rolling to a 7 1/4-length allowance victory at Turfway.

Among the other top contenders entered in the Jeff Ruby is Charlie's to Blame, who captured the Kitten's Joy S. on the Gulfstream Park turf. The Peter Eurton trainee could be one of the early pacesetters. The field also features He's Not Joking, winner of Woodbine's Grey Stakes (G3); Baby Max, the Leonatus S. winner; Innovator, who finished third in the Lecomte (G3) at Fair Grounds; and Flying Mohawk, an impressive last-out allowance winner.

Cincinnati Trophy winner White Rocks is set to face a field of 12 three-year-old fillies plus two also-eligibles entered in the Bourbonette Oaks. Run at 1 1/16 miles, it has a scheduled post time of 5:43 p.m.

White Rocks, trained by Arnaud Delacour, cruised to a 1 1/4-length victory in the Cincinnati Trophy under jockey Victor Carrasco. The speedy daughter of Frosted has been based throughout the winter at Turfway, where she broke her maiden by an eye-catching six lengths on Jan. 16.

Admit made her stakes debut in the Cincinnati Trophy, tracking from off the pace to finish second, while third-place finisher of the Somethinabouther also returns for the Oaks. Somethinabouther's resume is topped by a victory in the Mazarine Stakes (G3) at Woodbine last November.

The Bourbonette Oaks will offer Kentucky Oaks qualifying points of 50-25-15-10-5 to the respective top five finishers.