Ruby Stakes – Grade III [KYD]
TP Race #8 1 1/8m Dirt Graded Stake
Purse $700.000 For Three Year Olds.

1 Sincere Connection Asgar Pedroza M Jr 122 —

On the tenth of March Asgar must’ve looked twice at the work out this gelding did at WO because a 1.10 flat six-furlong work is the fastest three-year-old work this year and faster than the likes of Always A Virgin, Individuation and Rudy Is With Me have worked at times this year. That in itself doesn’t win a horse race at HRP but it certainly says there is something special about this son of So Sincere who has won two from three. So, what could go wrong you may ask, well his last two races have been against small fields and both times he has shot out of the gate and dictated the race as he pleased. Today with fourteen runners it will be a different story and from the inside draw he will have to be smart. Let’s face it if he wins, he could end up as the KYD favorite, if he weakens into fourth then we may see him later in the year doing some older horse damage.

2 Keep Your Distance D J C Racing Stables Pennington F 122 —

After proving useful at overnight level, we have seen him twice in ungraded stakes and both times he has run well without threatening to win. The trip could suit him but if he gets too far back from this draw, he may be a lost cause. A bit of a punchers chance, but this stable is hot at the moment so I wouldn’t say no.

3 Excoriator Jerry Garcia Racing Cohen D 122 —

This is probably the benchmark horse in this race as he already has two stakes victories and points on the board for the KYD. The first of those came in the San Vincente where he overcame a difficult draw to prevail by a half-length and then doubled down next time in the Holy Bull from another tough draw. A much better position in the gate today sees him attempt to solidify his position as a leading KYD hope and if you are looking for a form choice then he may be the one.

4 Love Maker Mb Stables Ortiz J L 122 —

His running style seems to be his biggest barrier and we may see the gaming buttons attempted here in possibly his last chance at getting into the KYD, runs in the Southwest and the Gotham have seen him run on but not get in a blow but with works just as good as horses that have won qualifying races it may be a tweak that he needs to turn things around.

5 Free Agent Fractious Silvera Ru 122 —

Another with running style issues as so many seem to have on this new engine, he also seems to want to go back to run his best race which can cause him problems in these big fields. He ran an eye-catching race in the Rebel after being well behind but still only ran into eighth from a similar draw as today. There are scenarios that see him flying home to win but they are the less likely scenarios so you may have to rely on the stables great form to give him his best chance.

6 Winned Team 7 Illusions Gutierrez Mario 122 —

This is a real horse because after losing his unbeaten streak in the Withers he bounced back with a commanding performance in the Bataglia memorial last time. With a 1.36- and 1-mile work and four wins from five he must be a leading chance in this race and a win will secure him a place in the KYD. I am not sure why he ran so poorly in the Withers so it is a worry as he tackles that trip again today, but I think we saw his true colors last time out and I would expect him to be right there at the end.

7 Want Rum Team 7 Illusions Corbett G W 122 —

Seems to be an on-pace horse so may help out his stable mate by allowing him to slot in behind and get a decent run. Having said that he was pretty good in the El Camino after making the running from a wide gate, so I wouldn’t be writing him off as just a pacemaker.

8 Looney Cracker Martyparty Loveberry J 122 —

Took his first KYD points in the Risen Star and had run well in the Lecompt before that making him a decent contender here. He seems to be able to go on any track condition which is always a useful thing and may be a little overlooked in this field. He has closed hard from wide gates in his last two and whilst he still gets a wider draw it is not in the race engine zone where the draw can affect running position so he may be able to sit a little closer in this race. If ever there was a trifecta buster it is this one.

9 Gunga Jung Noblepark Valdivia J Jr 122 —

He has made an impressive start to his career with two wins from three and placing third in the SUN Derby in the other one. He was favorite for the SUN Derby and held a good enough place early in the running, but the pace was pretty hot and suited the closers more. A more average pace today and he could get back to winning ways.

10 Super Good Mb Stables Lezcano J 122 —

A length in front of Gunga Jung in the SUN Derby when second, he was the one responsible for the strong pace and he did very well to end up second. That was an improved effort and he needed to show that after the stable had forked out $250.000 for yet another TC contender. We know he is fast; we know he can keep up a strong gallop and it will be interesting to see if the race engine allows him to do that again today. Maybe he could sneak some outside speed push and there are a good few deep closers in the field so he could creep away early and end up holding on.

11 Star Vault Smokey Stover Hernandez C J 122 —

Failed in the Smarty Jones when last tried at this level but has won competitive overnights either side so gets another chance today. His works have improved markedly since the Smarty Jones and being from a top stable we know he will be ready for this. Another on speed type he tried that, and it didn’t work at this level so I think the trainer may be best served trying to get this one in midpack and save something for the finish.

12 Got Next Fractious Cedillo A 122 —

He may have only won one race, but he has been second at grade two, grade three and ungraded level so is clearly up to this. He ran well from a horrible draw in the El Camino but gets no favors from the draw monster again today although sometimes in these races the wider draws do get their opportunities. He deserves a big win, and we know he is consistent enough to get involved in the purse pay out.

13 Rotary State Alydar Stables Espinoza V 122 —

This stable has done it from the wide draw before by turning a closer into a front runner and I wonder if that is what they have in store for this one today. Of the two wide draw options he has run well as a closer most notably in the Smarty Jones when closing hard and going down by a half-length but when he tried that in the Iroquois and the Risen Star it didn’t come off. We may see a roll of the dice by the owner here but if not, he will need a hot pace and a wide run to win.

14 Raging Heights Riggins Racing Hernandez R M 122 —

He was two from two in his first two races but since then has been dealt pretty roughly by the draw monster. Today he is out in the cheap seats again and in that role he has been a deep closer before so maybe we can expect that from him again today. I think there are many comparisons between him and Rotary State here, both trainers could gamble on the gaming buttons and try to use the wide gate speed push to lead but in both cases if they don’t get a lead, they will weaken out of it when the whips come out. I guess the safe option is to go back and hope for a fast pace to launch a late surge from.

SUMMARY

This is a very nice field with plenty of possibilities. The obvious ones would be Winned, Excoriator, Super Good and Gunga Jung and any of those would be strong picks but I am going into left field for this and pinning my hopes on the work of Sincere Connection to cause a bit of an upset.

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES