Road to the Derby 2018: Jeff Ruby Steaks

Grade 3, $200,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks; 1 1/8 miles; Turfway Park; March 17, 2018
(20 Derby qualifying points for a win, 8 for second, 4 for third, 2 for fourth)

Winner: Blended Citizen, by Proud Citizen
Trainer: Doug O’Neill
Jockey: Kyle Frey
Owner: Greg Hall and Sayjay Racing LLC
Beyer Speed Figure: 83

:: ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays, and analysis

Of the 35 races on the main Road to the Kentucky Derby series put together by Churchill Downs, this is one of just two run on a synthetic surface, making it fairly inconsequential. Churchill also lowered the point value for this race this year, with just 20 to the winner, BLENDED CITIZEN, who was coming off a third-place finish in the series’s only other synthetic race, the El Camino Real Derby.

Blended Citizen likely will have to earn additional points in a dirt race to make the Derby field, and any performances on dirt should take precedent over this in terms of analysis regarding his Derby chances. Of note is that he added blinkers for this race, so it will be interesting to see if that makes a significant enhancement to his overall form.

In this race, Blended Citizen acted up in the gate before the start, which is something to monitor going forward. He broke well enough and raced between horses while in the three path and behind some traffic around the first turn, raced between rivals heading into the far turn in the two path, knifed between rivals entering the lane, was angled to the rail, finished best, and held safe PONY UP to prevail. Despite the traffic, he had a pretty good trip, standard operating procedure on synthetic, which often unfolds like grass races.

Pony Up, who was second, raced near the rear of the pack in the two path around the first turn, initially followed Blended Citizen around the far turn but then was angled wide and came into the stretch in the five path, looked as though he was going best of all passing the sixteenth pole, but was outfinished by Blended Citizen.

ARAWAK, who was third, couldn’t get over from his wide draw and was hung out about five paths wide on the first turn, moved in tandem with Blended Citizen on the far turn while about three paths wide, entered the lane in the four path, and wasn’t quite good enough late, though he lost far more ground on the turns than he was beaten.

ZANESVILLE, who was fourth, bobbled slightly leaving the gate, was shuffled back into the first turn and ended up in the four path while towards the rear of the field, rallied four paths wide on the far turn while under urging and got fanned into the six path into the lane, was right with Pony Up a furlong out but weakened late and had to check slightly in the closing yards.

MUGARITZ, who was fifth, raced between horses entering the first turn and then took a strong hold of the bit and opened up a daylight lead on his rivals, had a large lead into the far turn, began to weaken nearing the head of the lane and came under the whip, was late to change leads, was still in front but obviously in peril a furlong out, and tired.

SKY PROMISE, who finished sixth, dropped all the way back to last in the early going despite being niggled at a couple of times in the opening furlong, saved ground from his rail draw, was well back down the backstretch, made up some ground on the far turn while remaining on the rail, and continued to gain while swapping leads through the lane, and never threatening the top five.

CASH CALL KITTEN, who was seventh, was just behind the leaders while saving ground around the first turn, got shuffled back a bit into the far turn, had no response when initially asked to advance and dropped back, came into the stretch in the three path, and passed some tired rivals while racing on his incorrect lead.

RIDE A COMET, who was eighth, raced just behind and outside the leaders from the four path around the first turn, advanced to be even with DREAMER’S POINT while chasing the loose leader Mugaritz with three furlongs to go, drifted out while tiring entering the lane, then emptied out.

Dreamer’s Point, who finished ninth, showed good speed to stalk Mugaritz from the three path around the first turn, was even with Ride a Comet three furlongs out chasing Mugaritz, began to weaken heading into the lane, and faded.

MAGICALMEISTER, who was 10th, had good speed leaving the gate and was just inside Mugaritz into the first turn, eased back off the heels of Mugaritz going around that turn, was even with Dreamer’s Point down the backstretch, then steadily weakened beginning three furlongs out.

ARCHAGGELOS, who was 11th, raced on his wrong lead coming under the wire the first time, was between horses in the two path just behind the leaders into the first turn, came under a ride a half-mile out but had no response, was last entering the lane, and nailed one weary rival at the end to avoid finishing last.

HAZIT, who finished last of 12, stumbled badly leaving the gate, was a bit headstrong heading into the first turn, was four to five paths wide while towards the rear of the pack around the first turn, was fanned about six paths wide on the far turn, surrendered midway on the turn, and was given a sympathetic ride the rest of the way.