Two Phil's further bolsters Turfway's road to Kentucky Derby
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Although run on a synthetic track, Turfway Park’s signature Kentucky Derby prep has become an enticing spot for horsemen since Churchill Downs Inc., the parent company for both the Florence, Ky., track and the flagship Louisville location, purchased Turfway in 2019 and increased the qualifying point value of the race to 100 for the winner. Now, the race’s form is holding its own.
Two years in a row, a colt coming through Turfway has produced a solid result in the Kentucky Derby. Last year, Rich Strike pulled off a shocking upset in the Derby after running through the Turfway prep series. This year, Two Phil’s parlayed his win in the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby on March 25 into a solid runner-up effort behind Mage in last Saturday’s classic.
“Man, he tried so hard and ran his heart out,” trainer Larry Rivelli said. “I’m so proud of this horse and everyone involved. He ran an incredible race.”
Turfway installed Polytrack prior to the 2006 edition of its Derby prep, which has been run under several sponsor names. During that era, its winners included Animal Kingdom, who went on to win the 2011 Kentucky Derby, and Hard Spun, a solid second in the 2007 edition of the classic.
Churchill Downs announced in October 2019 that it had signed an agreement to purchase Turfway, and later replaced the Polytrack with Tapeta. In three runnings on Tapeta, in 2021, 2022, and 2023, Turfway has produced a Derby top-three finish twice. Rich Strike finished third in the Leonatus Stakes, fourth in the John Battaglia Memorial, and third in the Ruby
Rivelli said prior to the Derby that, in addition to sizing up the competition in various prep races, the Ruby’s placement on the calendar made it “the perfect timing and perfect spot” for Two Phil’s.
Both Rich Strike and Two Phil’s had shown juvenile form on the Churchill Downs dirt before their synthetic preps. Rich Strike won a maiden-claiming race in the fall of 2021. Two Phil’s won the Grade 3 Street Sense on a wet track.
Two Phil’s was the only runner from this year’s Jeff Ruby to move on to the Derby. Ruby runner-up Major Dude would have been several spaces down the original also-eligible list for the Derby, so his connections instead opted for the Grade 2 American Turf on the undercard in which he was third, beaten less than a length.
Turfway’s 3-year-old filly points series toward the Kentucky Oaks has not been as productive. Botanical won four straight races at Turfway, including the Cincinnati Trophy, which awarded her 20 points, and the Bourbonette Oaks, which awarded her 50 points. She finished 13th in the Kentucky Oaks after not breaking as sharply as usual and being jostled early, according to jockey Chris Landeros. One race prior, stablemate Flashy Gem, who had been second in the Bourbonette, finished 10th in the Grade 2 Edgewood on turf. Brad Cox, trainer of Botanical and Flashy Gem, said the weekend’s results may reflect more the strength of a specific race or horse, rather than an overall endorsement or indictment of the Tapeta-to-dirt angle.
Two Phil’s “ran a really good race – he was close enough to the pace, and stayed on to be second,” Cox said. “He ran a tremendous race. It’s really hard to say right now – obviously, Botanical didn’t get away that well in the Oaks, and Flashy Gem kind of had to hustle on the turf. I guess it just comes down to the race.”
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