Somelikeithotbrown Speeds Home in Jeff Ruby
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Photo: Ryan Thompson
Somelikeithotbrown leads the way home in the Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park
Homebred Somelikeithotbrown's performance in the $200,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) matched the mantle of heavy favorite the colt carried March 9 into the starting gate at Turfway Park.
Raced by Skychai Racing and Sand Dollar Stable, the New York-bred son of Big Brown won the nine-furlong Road to the Kentucky Derby prep in near gate-to-wire fashion and never faced a serious challenge.
Bred by Sand Dollar with Hot Pink Stables, Somelikeithotbrown broke sharply and wrested control of the race from WinStar Farm's homebred Five Star General, who races in partnership with China Horse Club and SF Racing, after a quarter-mile in :23.61. Once on the lead, Somelikeithotbrown led the field through comfortable fractions of :47.03, 1:10.78, and a mile in 1:37.84.
Coming out of the second turn, Lou Dunn Diekemper's homebred Dynamic Racer—who finished second Feb. 15 to Somelikeithotbrown in the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes at Turfway—launched a challenge but never got closer than two lengths to the leader, who won by 3 1/4 lengths and stopped the timer in 1:52.05.
Dynamic Racer was sent off at 45-1 with the exotics further fattened by Moonster, who finished third for Calumet Farm at 59-1. Somelikeithotbrown paid $3.20, $2.60, and $2.60.
Somelikeithotbrown earned 20 qualifying points toward a start in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). Dynamic Racer earned eight points, Moonster earned four points, and fourth-place Five Star General earned two points.
"The pace was honest and it looked like he was doing it pretty handily, and he put the horse (Dynamic Racer) away that was contesting the lead with him down the lane," said trainer Mike Maker, who captured his fifth win in Turfway Park's Derby prep. "Tyler said he was ducking from the whip a little bit, but he had a lot of horse left. With these two races, we'll look at the Blue Grass."
The Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) will be run April 6 at Keeneland.
Jockey Tyler Gaffalione, who took his first trip on Somelikeithotbrown, said taking the lead so early had not been the plan.
"He broke so sharp, into the first turn I didn't want to get in a fighting match with him, so I put my hands down and tried to get him to relax," the rider said. "Down the lane, he was kind of waiting on horses, kind of looking around, but he did everything easy. He's a very nice horse, very talented. Mike and his team did a great job with him. He was all by himself, and every time I showed him the whip, he'd go one way. He was just acting bored."
Somelikeithotbrown is the second foal and first winner for the Tapit daughter Marilyn Monroan. The mare has a yearling colt by Temple City and is carrying a foal by Palace Malice . The colt has a 3-2-1 record from seven starts, with earnings of $363,478.