HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Pink Ruby brings the coveted combination of speed and class into Thursday’s ratings handicap at Oaklawn Park. The 1 1/16-mile route for fillies and mares is slotted as the eighth of nine races. It drew a competitive field of 10 that includes Morning Miracle, who is moving back to dirt off a runner-up finish in a $12,500 claiming route on turf at Sam Houston, and Mo Sense, who won for a $12,500 claiming price in February at Oaklawn. Pink Ruby’s edge might be her natural ability to be up in the race and the fact that she’s seen steeper. She won a first-level allowance last summer at Monmouth Park, then proceeded to run a good fourth in the Wilton at the Belmont at the Big A meet. She is moving back to two turns after running third in a $32,000 conditioned claiming sprint in her first start in three months on April 9 at Oaklawn. “I think she’s 100 percent a two-turn horse,” said Lindsay Schultz, who trains Pink Ruby. “We kind of gave her some time after the [allowance route] at Fair Grounds. It was a very tough spot. So the three-quarter race was good – get a run into her. I thought she ran very well, and I think it should set her up good.” :: Live racing action at Oaklawn Park! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. Pink Ruby raced close to strong fractions last out and finished 1 1/4 lengths behind the winner. The Beyer Speed Figure of 68 that she earned is the best last-race Beyer in the field Thursday. Pink Ruby’s allowance win at Monmouth came wire to wire, when she went sprint to route for the May race in which she earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 81. Ramon Vazquez will be aboard Pink Ruby from post 5. Cristian Torres, who was up last time, is sitting out Thursday’s card due to a one-day suspension for a riding infraction, according to his agent, Cody Autrey. “Ramon’s a good rider,” Schultz said. “I think he’ll be able to get her out of the gate and place her well. I see her on the lead or right off of it.” Pink Ruby is a Virginia-bred daughter of Connect who races for Larry Nafe. Later this season, Schultz said she could look for options for the 4-year-old at Colonial Downs or other tracks on the East Coast. Schultz will be returning to Monmouth Park after the Oaklawn meet, and she also has horses at both Keeneland and Churchill Downs. “This is the same as we did last year. We just kind of have a little bit bigger presence in Kentucky,” she said. “I think we are growing. But I think more important, we’re getting some more quality into the barn.” Others set to start in the ratings handicap include Esperanza’s Spirit, who was third in the Iowa Breeders’ Oaks in September. Tyler Bacon has the mount from the rail. Bacon was off his mounts last weekend due to lingering effects from an earlier injury but has been cleared to resume race riding, agent Brian Assmann said. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.