Stark Contrast invades for Jeff Ruby Steaks; Resplendence back for Bourbonette Oaks

Mar 16, 2026 Kevin Kerstein/Kentucky Racing Communications

Stark Contrast shown winning last fall's Zuma Beach (G3) at Santa Anita (Photo by Benoit Photo)

FLORENCE, Ky. (Sunday, March 15, 2026) – Amerman Racing’s Grade 3 winner Stark Contrast will invade Turfway Park from Southern California to face a full field of 12 three-year-olds entered in Saturday’s 55th running of the $777,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3), the marquee race of the Turfway Park Racing & Gaming Winter/Spring Meet.

The Jeff Ruby Steaks, run at 1 1/8 miles, is part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby Championship Series and will award the winner 100 qualifying points and a spot in the starting gate for the $5 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) on Saturday, May 2 at Churchill Downs.

The blockbuster 13-race program at Turfway Park gets underway at 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern), with the Jeff Ruby Steaks scheduled as Race 12 at 6:25 p.m. The card also includes the $300,000 TwinSpires Kentucky Cup Classic (G3), the $300,000 Bourbonette Oaks (Listed), the $250,000 Latonia (Listed), the $250,000 Animal Kingdom, and the $250,000 Rushaway.

Along with Stark Contrast, the Jeff Ruby Steaks field also includes David Romanik, Warren Cheekes, Deborah Dougherty, C2 Racing Stable, BAG Racing Stable, and Robert Liedel’s Grade 1 winner Argos; St. Elias Stable and Starlight Racing’s multiple stakes-placed Fulleffort; and Gold Square’s stakes winner and Grade 1-placed Two Out Hero.

Southern California invader Stark Contrast breaks from post No. 11 in the Jeff Ruby Steaks under jockey Kazushi Kimura. Trained by Michael McCarthy, Stark Contrast won the Zuma Beach (G3) by a length and scored a 2 1/4-length victory in the Eddie Logan S. (Listed) at Santa Anita. The Jeff Ruby Steaks will be Stark Contrast’s first start over a synthetic surface, with all three of his victories coming on turf.

Stark Contrast Cruises To Second Stakes Win For McCarthy In Thursday’s Eddie Logan Stakes For 3-Year-Olds Going One Mile On Turf At Santa Anita pic.twitter.com/H3ZE3KxK0p

— Santa Anita Park (@santaanitapark) January 9, 2026

McCarthy won the Jeff Ruby Steaks two years ago with Endlessly, who is entered earlier on the card in the $300,000 TwinSpires Kentucky Cup Classic.

Trainer Brad Cox entered the duo of Fulleffort and Argos in the Jeff Ruby Steaks.

Fulleffort finished second in both the Leonatus S. and the John Battaglia Memorial (Listed) at Turfway Park. Prior to those stakes tries, the son of Liam’s Map broke his maiden by a dominating five lengths at Keeneland. Irad Ortiz Jr. rides from post 2.

Cox, who won last year’s Jeff Ruby Steaks with eventual Kentucky Derby fourth-place finisher Final Gambit, also entered Grade 1 winner Argos. The son of Nyquist was recently transferred to Cox following five starts with Riley Mott, including his head victory in last year’s Summer (G1) at Woodbine. Luan Machado has the mount from post 10.

Two Out Hero won the Soaring Free S. last season at Woodbine prior to finishing third to Argos in the Summer. Trained by Kevin Attard, Two Out Hero disappointed one month ago in the John Battaglia Memorial when he finished ninth at odds of 4-1. Gerardo Corrales rides from post 4.

Another horse invading from Southern California is Perry Bass II and Ramona Bass’ stakes-placed Medici. Trained by Richard Mandella, Medici finished second in last month’s Pasadena S. at Santa Anita. Mirco Demuro rides from post 6.

Trainer Brendan Walsh entered the duo of Black Gold S. winner Black Hornet and two-time winner Stop the Car.

Owned by Calumet Farm, Black Hornet scored a 1 1/4-length victory in last month’s Black Gold at Fair Grounds at odds of 7-1. Declan Cannon rides from post 5.

Stop the Car was targeting the John Battaglia Memorial but was scratched with a minor setback. Owned by Tradewinds Farm, Stop the Car won on debut in a $150,000 maiden claiming contest at Keeneland, then captured a first-level allowance at Churchill Downs. Edgar Morales has the mount from post 12.

The field for the Jeff Ruby Steaks from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

• Turf Star (John Velazquez, Graham Motion)
• Fulleffort (Irad Ortiz, Brad Cox)
• Baytown Dreamer (Orlando Bocachica, Paul McEntee)
• Two Out Hero (Gerado Corrales, Kevin Attard)
• Black Hornet (Declan Cannon, Brendan Walsh)
• Medici (Mirco Demuro, Richard Mandella)
• Maximus Prime (Joe Ramos, Anthony Mitchell)
• Chaos Agent (Joel Rosario, Josie Carroll)
• Brave Force (Vincent Cheminaud, Jack Sisterson)
• Argos (Luan Machado, Brad Cox)
• Stark Contrast (Kazushi Kimura, Michael McCarthy)
• Stop the Car (Edgar Morales, Brendan Walsh)

The Jeff Ruby Steaks awards the top five finishers qualifying points on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale toward a spot in the starting gate for Kentucky Derby 152.

Live coverage of the Jeff Ruby Steaks will be shown on Peacock and NBC Sports Network from 6-7 p.m. The broadcast also includes the $1 million TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds.

Fans still wishing to purchase tickets can do so by visiting www.turfway.com.

Cincinnati Trophy winner Resplendence back for Bourbonette Oaks

Bonne Chance Farm’s Cincinnati Trophy winner Resplendence will return to Turfway Park Racing & Gaming to face 11 rivals entered in Saturday’s 44th running of the $300,000 Bourbonette Oaks (Listed), a Championship Series race on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks.

The Bourbonette Oaks is part of six stakes contests on Jeff Ruby Steaks Day. First post is 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern), with the Bourbonette Oaks scheduled as Race 11 of 13 at 5:43 p.m.

Trained by Paulo Lobo, Resplendence impressed in the Feb. 21 Cincinnati Trophy S. while defeating 10 rivals by 2 3/4 lengths as an 11-1 outsider. A daughter of Justify, the homebred previously broke her maiden at Turfway by six lengths in a Jan. 15 maiden special weight contest. Jockey Alberto Burgos has the call in Saturday’s race from the rail.

𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘 ($25.42) captures the 44th running of the Cincinnati Trophy @TurfwayPark earning 20 KY Oaks points under @ABurgos1498 for trainer @P_H_Lobo.

🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/ULiDW1fsJ1

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) February 21, 2026

Another stakes winner in the field is Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Sabby Racing, and Ken Reimer’s La Ville Lumiere. Trained by Michael McCarthy, La Ville Lumiere invades Turfway from Santa Anita as a two-time winner, with her lone stakes victory coming in the Blue Norther S. as a 2-year-old. Prior to that victory, she finished third in both the Oak Leaf (G2) and Jimmy Durante (G3). Jockey Kazushi Kimura has the call from post No. 10.

Also entered is Cincinnati Trophy runner-up Lovely Grey, a private purchase for Dave Portnoy’s Go Go Greys Stable. Trained by Kelsey Danner, Lovely Grey finished 2 3/4 lengths behind Resplendence in the Cincinnati Trophy. Prior to that start, she was a troubled third in an allowance race at Turfway Park. Joel Rosario rides from post 9.

The field for the Bourbonette Oaks in order of post position (with jockey and trainer):

• Resplendence (Alberto Burgos, Paulo Lobo)
• Resist (Irving Moncada, Tommy Drury Jr.)
• Beara Peninsula (Luan Machado, Jerry O’Dwyer)
• Blazing Brat (Joe Ramos, Whit Beckman)
• Scratch It (Irad Ortiz Jr., Brad Cox)
• Callmeyourmajesty (Vincent Cheminaud, Wayne Catalano)
• Maximum Offer (Manny Esquivel, Kenny McPeek)
• Bless Her (John Velazquez, Graham Motion)
• Lovely Grey (Joel Rosario, Kelsey Danner)
• La Ville Lumiere (Kazushi Kimura, Michael McCarthy)
• Lorelei Lee (Fernando De La Cruz, Mike Maker)
• Wonzee Weather (Dylan Machado, Darrin Miller)

The Bourbonette Oaks awards the top five finishers qualifying points on a 50-25-15-10-5 scale toward a spot in the starting gate for the $1.5 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) on Friday, May 1, at Churchill Downs.