Red Ruby earns 104 Beyer for Delware Oaks romp

Red Ruby earned a 104 Beyer Speed Figure for her 13-length tour de force in the Grade 3, $300,000 Delaware Oaks on Saturday. The figure is by far the highest for a 3-year-old filly this year.

The second-best 3-year-old filly Beyer belongs to division leader Monomoy Girl, who earned a 98 winning the Grade 1 Acorn.

Four 3-year-old fillies have recorded a 97 Beyer this year – Monomoy Girl in the Kentucky Oaks, Athena in the Belmont Oaks on turf, Mia Mischief in the seven-furlong Eight Belles, and the late Amada Rafaela in her debut maiden victory.

Trainer Kellyn Gorder will test deeper waters with Red Ruby in her next start, the Grade 1 Alabama at Saratoga on Aug. 18.

Red Ruby received a beautiful trip under jockey Paco Lopez in the 1 1/16-mile Delaware Oaks. She stalked pacesetting longshot Prospective Lady until nearing the far turn, quickly took command, then lengthened her advantage in the stretch while drifting out.

She was timed in 1:42.41 and was moving very well at the finish, covering her final sixteenth of a mile in 5.93 seconds under only modest urging.

Runner-up Coach Rocks also ran well, although no match for the winner. It was eight lengths back from Coach Rocks to Mo Shopping in third.

Red Ruby, by Tiznow out of the Rubiano mare Caroni, is a half-sister to Ohio Derby and Lecomte winner Mo Tom. She is now 4 for 6, including wins in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan at Pimlico and the Martha Washington Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

It will be very interesting to see how she fares against tougher rivals this summer.

◗ The other stakes Beyers at Delaware on Saturday were for Tricky Escape (92) in the Grade 3 Robert G. Dick Memorial, O Dionysus (91) in the Cape Henlopen, and Jessica Krupnick (86) in the Dashing Beauty.