Ruby Stakes – Grade III [KYD]
1 1/8 Mile Dirt Stake Purse $700.000 Open 3 Year Olds.

The official margin from first to last for this race was 4 lengths which pretty much sums up what HRP is all about. Everyone has a chance until they don’t, but today the horses I expected to fill the first four positions did exactly that so; whilst the margins may be a little “gamey”, the actual result seemed to be fair enough.
Here is how they finished:

1st Excoriator Jerry Garcia Racing Cohen D

This un-gelded son of State Police seems to be following a similar routine that Five Fives had in his run-up to the KYD but the difference with this one is the fact that he is built like a horse that will lap up the BEL trip and eventually the Classic 12 furlongs. He once again followed the perfect path laying up just behind the leaders and won with a bit in hand probably making him one of the favorites for the KYD and one of the most consistent three-year-olds we have seen this year. He can do it from wide or inside, from mid-pack or the stalk and there wouldn’t be another horse I would like to own as the big day approaches.

2nd Super Good Mb Stables Lezcano J

Funny that a horse who was second in the SUN Derby last time should start at 15/1 but I guess his stamina was the biggest question mark about him today and once again it seemed to give out at the wrong time. I say seemed because I am not sure HRP works like that, he led from wide but couldn’t get a cushion and then just ran on at the same pace having used his initial speed in getting to the front. So, I am not sure he lacks stamina, I just think there are scenarios where leaders get beaten at the end of the race and one of those is if they don’t get clear of the field early enough and have used up the speed at the start instead of the end. Anyway, regardless of the how and why he has proved he can beat a lot of KYD hopefuls in his last two races and may yet have something to say in May.

3rd Winned Team 7 Illusions Gutierrez Mario

The close second favorite to the winner this one ran a cracker but there was a small red flag that may prevent him from being such a big threat in the KYD. He stalked a faster pace in the Battaglia Memorial but couldn’t finish with the same gusto today. Why? Well, one thought might be a lacking class gene, both his failures have come in graded stakes but he has looked like a world-beater in lower grades so he may just not be ready for that step up in class just yet. The other is that he is a small-framed individual and may just find the strength lacking that is found in some of his more mature rivals. I say small red flags simply because this is HRP and things can change from one race to the next so I am not saying he can’t win the KYD but rather offering excuses if he doesn’t.

4th Sincere Connection Asgar Pedroza M Jr

I expected this one to run a big race after his lightening work and he certainly did but he may now find his path to the KYD blocked. With only four races under his belt missing the KYD may be the best thing for him because I expect him to develop into a top three-year-old and sometimes when they go down the TC route it can ruin them for later in the year.

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES