Stark Contrast will miss Pasadena, point to Jeff Ruby

The two-time stakes winner Stark Contrast will miss Sunday’s $100,000 Pasadena Stakes because of a bruised foot and is likely to start in the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park on March 21.

The $777,000 Jeff Ruby for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles will be the first start on a synthetic track for Stark Contrast, who has won 3 of 5 starts. All his wins have been on turf. In his only loss on the surface, Stark Contrast was second by three-quarters of a length at 58-1 in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar on Oct. 31.

Trainer Michael McCarthy said on Wednesday that the lucrative purse of the Jeff Ruby justifies the experiment.

“He seems like he works well enough on the dirt,” McCarthy said. “Maybe we’re trying something a little different. It’s not often you get to run for $777,000.”

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Stark Contrast, a Kentucky-bred by Caravaggio, races for John and Jerry Amerman. McCarthy and the Amermans won the 2024 Jeff Ruby, then worth $700,000, with Endlessly, the 7-5 favorite. Six weeks later, Endlessly finished ninth at 48-1 behind Mystik Dan in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.

The first five finishers of the Jeff Ruby earn Kentucky Derby qualifying points on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale.

McCarthy said on Wednesday that Stark Contrast’s goal for the Churchill Downs spring-summer meeting is the Grade 1 American Turf Stakes, a $1 million race for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on May 2. McCarthy had mentioned Stark Contrast as a candidate for the Pasadena Stakes at a mile on turf, but he's instead entered Army Man and Smoovin Saturday.

Stark Contrast was recently diagnosed with a bruised foot.

“He goes back to the track when the weather clears up a little bit,” McCarthy said.

Santa Anita’s main track was closed from Monday through Wednesday because of inclement weather. Conditions are forecast to improve before live racing resumes on Friday.

Army Man won a maiden race at 1 1/8 miles on turf on Jan. 25 in his fourth start. Smoovin Saturday, who has yet to start on turf, won the King Glorious Stakes for statebred 2-year-old milers at Los Alamitos on Dec. 14 in his second start, but he was fifth of nine in the California Cup Derby after a wide trip at Santa Anita on Jan. 17.

The Pasadena Stakes drew 11 entrants but will be limited to 10 starters.

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