Kentucky Derby road: Full field, riders for Jeff Ruby Steaks

Poster, last year’s Remsen Stakes (G2) winner, and California Burrito, the John Battaglia Memorial victor, headline an overflow field of 12 3-year-olds and one also-eligible who were entered for next Saturday’s Grade 3, $777,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks, the richest race in the history of Turfway Park Racing.

The 1 1/8-mile feature on the Tapeta surface serves as a key stop on the road to Kentucky Derby 2025. It will be the first prep this season to offer qualifying points on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale to the top five finishers, meaning the top two probably will be ticketed for May 3 at Churchill Downs.

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Poster, a homebred for Godolphin, trained by Eoin Harty, closed his 2-year-old season with a determined victory in the Remsen at Aqueduct. The son of Frosted returned with a fast-closing, third-place finish in the Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs. Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez will be in the irons from post 9.

California Burrito, owned by Aaron and Victoria Haberman and trained by Tommy Drury, secured his spot in the Ruby with a gutsy victory in the John Battaglia Memorial, holding off favored Baby Max. The son of Army Mule was dominant in his prior start, rolling to a 7 1/4-length allowance victory at Turfway. Irving Moncada will have the call from post 3.

Charlie’s to Blame, who captured the Kitten’s Joy Stakes on the Gulfstream Park for owners BG Stables, Roadrunner Racing, SAF Racing, West Coast Stables, Barbara Evenson, and Jeffrey Lambert, is among the other top contenders. The Peter Eurton trainee could be one of the early pacesetters and will be ridden by Juan Hernandez from post 2.

He’s Not Joking, winner of Woodbine’s Grey Stakes (G3); Baby Max, the Leonatus Stakes winner; Innovator, who finished third in the Lecomte Stakes (G3) at Fair Grounds; and Flying Mohawk, an impressive, last-out allowance winner, also are among the entrants.

The Ruby is the 12th of Turfway Park’s 13 races Saturday with a scheduled post time of 6:25 p.m. EDT. The card also includes the listed Bourbonette Oaks on the road to the Kentucky Oaks and the Kentucky Cup Classic (G3). The first post is at 12:45 p.m.