Grade 3, $200,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks, 1 1/8 miles (synthetic), Turfway Park, March 9, 2019  (20 Derby qualifying points for a win, 8 for second, 4 for third, 2 for fourth) Winner: Somelikeithotbrown, by Big Brown Trainer: Mike Maker Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione Owner: Skychai Racing and Sand Dollar Stable Beyer Speed Figure: 83 :: DERBY WATCH: Top 20 Kentucky Derby contenders with comments from Jay Privman and Mike Watchmaker SOMELIKEITHOTBROWN has shown ability on both turf (he was a close third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf) and synthetic (a pair of wins at Turfway to start his 3-year-old season). What’s still unknown is whether he can run well on dirt. His only try came in his debut, but that’s an unfair measuring stick, as it was a sprint that was rained off the turf and run over a sloppy, sealed Saratoga surface. It’s a leap of faith to think he’ll handle it, but he’s in good form right now and has earned a shot in a race like the Blue Grass. What’s also hard to know is just what this race means, as it is run on a synthetic surface and drew a field no one will mistake for a top-shelf Derby prep. Somelikeithotbrown was much the best, earning a soft fig. His next race will determine whether he deserves a chance in the Kentucky Derby, or should return to turf. In this race, Somelikeithotbrown had good speed leaving the gate and got over from his wide draw to race in the two path around the first turn, outside FIVE STAR GENERAL. He led narrowly while under a snug hold down the backstretch, then began to inch away from Five Star General on the far turn. He raced erratically in upper stretch when on his wrong lead while being encouraged with a left-handed whip, changed leads but continued to shy away from the whip at midstretch, but maintained a clear lead all the way to the wire. He is vastly superior to this bunch. DYNAMIC RACER, who finished second, used his inside draw and contending speed to go into the first turn hugging the rail while just behind Five Star General. He advanced to third on the far turn and was asked to go after the eventual winner, got within a length of Somelikeithotbrown entering the lane, was spurned by the winner, was late to change leads, but kept to his task to beat everyone else. His dirt form is poor and he has run three straight good races on synthetic, so it looks like he’s found his niche. MOONSTER, who was third, was hustled along leaving the gate but got squeezed back between rivals and went into the first turn mid-pack while hugging the rail. He dropped back going down the backside and was in front of just one horse with a half-mile to go, got fanned about five paths wide coming off the bend, and finished with interest. This was his first try on synthetic after being soundly beaten in his prior stakes tries on dirt. These are his friends. Five Star General, who was fourth, was sent along to lead early, then raced just behind and inside of Somelikeithotbrown around the first turn and down the backstretch. He began to yield three furlongs out as Somelikeithotbrown gained separation, came out at midstretch under left-handed whipping, then continued evenly to the wire. DABO, who was fifth, didn’t get away all that cleanly and raced toward the rear of the pack while about two to three paths wide around the first turn. He made up some ground into the far turn while caught four paths wide, got fanned to about the five path entering the lane, and though he passed several rivals he never really was in the hunt. SPEED APP, who was sixth, went into the first turn three paths wide while just behind and outside Somelikeithotbrown. He raced outside Dynamic Racer down the backstretch, was sent along three furlongs out but could not keep up, traded several bumps with SKYWIRE from the quarter pole to the eighth pole – the last of which got him to change leads – and simply wasn’t good enough. Back to the maiden ranks. COUNTER OFFER, who finished seventh, had one horse beat into the first turn but got over and saved ground. He continued to hug the rail the rest of the way, got through inside, but never made any impact. Skywire, who was eighth, raced between rivals into the first turn toward the back half of the field and took a bump from TWELFTHOFNEVERLAND. He got to the rail down the backstretch and advanced while saving ground on the far turn, tried to avoid the erratic Five Star General in midstretch while trading bumps with Speed App, and had nothing late. Not the cleanest trip, but not enough to excuse how far back he finished. CURLIN GREY, who was ninth, had no early speed and trailed early while hugging the rail. He dropped farther back down the backstretch, saved ground the rest of the way, passed a couple of weary rivals late, but was always well back. Twelfthofneverland, who was 10th, was wrangled back into the first turn, bumped with Skywire, and raced in the three path around that turn. He remained well back the rest of the way, made up a bit of ground on the far turn, got fanned to the four path entering the lane, then failed to change leads and lugged in badly through the stretch. BAYTOWN JIMBO, who finished last of 11, was forwardly placed between rivals into the first turn, retreated a bit to race in the clear in fifth on the first turn while continuing to be ridden along, then chucked it in while between rivals three furlongs out and quickly dropped back.