A Look at the Jeff Ruby Field

Here are the anticipated competitors in the Jeff Ruby. We're getting intel that Agate Road may scratch in favor of another Derby prep race. Endlessly appears to be the horse to beat, but just to get in this field these horses have some strong credentials and Seize The Grey, himself, is getting some respect.

Link to Jeff Ruby Study Guide

Full address:  https://www.kentuckyderby.com/horses/news/study-guide-2024-jeff-ruby-steaks/

The questions for Seize The Grey are how he'll handle the synthetic and how many opportunities he'll have to work over the surface once he arrives, and how he'll handle a track where he's never run.

The downside is that this may be the toughest field he's faced, though he did defeat some good horses including Dornoch in earlier races. He'll need to win to make it into the Derby, and that's a tall order. A second place finish could possibly get him in the door, but it depends how many points some of his competitors earn if he'd be in the top 20. 

The positives are that he's maturing by the week, he's been logging some strong works, and he has a great post position and more distance in this race to utilize his late closer running style. He may be at the back of the pack early on, but if it's his day, he'll come running like a bullet train late in the stretch. 

Our Thoughts

We all know Seize The Grey is probably going to do his best running later. If he doesn't make it into the Derby, at least he had this wonderful opportunity and was good enough to get this far, this fast, which is far better than any other horse we've ever owned or partnered on. 

Though we'd love to see him qualify, the Kentucky Derby is a huge field of  talented horses and jockeys who want to get the win, so it can be grueling and risky. If he gets in, we'll be thrilled and so blessed. But if he doesn't, we won't be heartbroken. There's still a lot to look forward to -- the Preakness and Belmont are still ahead in the Triple Crown series, and Traverse (where his sire and Arcangelo scored big in previous years), the Breeders Cup, and so many other targets to aim him toward if he doesn't strike while the iron is hot this round. 

Like his immortal sire, as he matures we'll begin to see just how good he really is.  

Photo credits Debbie Stuebe Lee