The 17th Running of the G3 Ruby Stakes
Saturday, April 2, 2022
TP Race #2 Post Time 18:25
$600.000 11/8 Dirt 3YO 122 Lbs
KYD POINTS RACE (100-40-20-10)
Track Record-1:47.21 (Trotto-2008)
Stakes Record-1:47.92 (Ginger Haggis-2017)
Thunder Gulch, racing in the colors of Broken Spoke Stables, rallied from mid-pack to capture the 100 KYD points and $600.000 purse up for grabs in the G3 Ruby Stakes. Completing his 9-furlong journey in 1:48.23, the homebred son of Snakie (o/o Laughing Princess) cemented his spot in the starting gate for the G1 KYD next month.
From their far-outside posts, Iron Mine and Deserve, were quick into stride and three lengths clear of the second flight the first time past the wire. As the front-runners raced in tandem through an opening half-mile in :47.14, it was Endangered Species and Perception who were suffering as they both rounded the turn three and four wide as they tried to get into a stalking position. Meanwhile, Thunder Gulch was able to save all of the ground around that first turn and down the backside as he bided his time in 7th and five lengths off of the pace.
Iron Mine and Deserve hit three-quarters in 1:10.87 as they entered the turn three lengths clear of Endangered Species. Still in 7th, Thunder Gulch tipped-off of the rail but he was still five lengths back. Making a bold move through the turn, Thunder Gulch was third entering the stretch and only three lengths behind Deserve as it appeared he had won the battle with Iron Mine after a mile went in 1:35.51.
Thunder Gulch ran right up on the heels of Deserve before steadying for a brief moment and shifting just a shade to the inside for run. By the sixteenth pole, Thunder Gulch was in full flight as he overtook Deserve and set sail for the wire and a date with the CD starter next month. Moving powerfully, Thunder Gulch ran hard through the wire in 1:48.23; however, the real drama was unfolding for the minors as there was a wall of four horses battling to round-out the exotics and, more importantly, secure the remaining KYD points. After a brief review of the photo, it was determined that Cheveley Park and a resilient Iron Mine had dead heated for the place honors just a nose in front of a hard luck Deserve. The latter took home the final 10 KYD points and was followed home by Gem Of A Shark, Inspector Gadget, Perception, Yang Gang, Crush Rush, Endangered Species, Backslider, and Burnsuwhenitshot.
With one last weekend of preps on tap next and the G3 Lexington a week later, the top four are currently 3rd, 15th-T, and 41st on the KYD Leaderboard so while the winner is confirmed, the other three will have to sweat it out/race their way in. Congratulations to Broken Spoke Stables and Thunder Gulch for winning the G3 Ruby Stakes at TP and punching their ticket to the big dance next month.
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES
