Jeff Ruby Steaks

The Spiral Stakes (known as the Jeff Ruby Steaks, a homophone of the word Stakes, for commercial reasons) is a Grade III American thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds at a distance of a one and one-eighth miles on the synthetic track in late March at Turfway Park in Florence, Kentucky. The event is part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby and offers a purse of $777,000.

History

The event was inaugurated on 1 April 1972 as the Latonia Spiral Stakes over a distance of one mile, established by the General Manager of the Latonia race track John Battaglia for horses "spiraling up" to the Kentucky Derby.

The race in its infancy attracted many entries and the administration of the track decided to run the event in two divisions in the following years: 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, and 1980.

In 1982, bourbon whiskey maker Jim Beam acquired naming rights sponsorship and the race was renamed the Jim Beam Spiral Stakes. That year the distance of event was increased to 1+1⁄16 miles. Two years later the event was named the Jim Beam Stakes. The sponsorship deal lasted for 17 years, and the event attracted many of the prominent three-year-olds during that time.

In 1984, the event was upgraded to Grade III status. In 1988, two years after the track changed owners and was renamed Turfway Park, it was upgraded to a Grade II race and was lengthened to 1+1⁄8 miles.

In 1999 the race was sponsored for one year by Jim McIngvale of the Gallery Furniture chain of retail stores, and was run as the Galleryfurniture.com Stakes. In 2003, Lane's End Farm took over sponsorship of the event for eight years.

In 2006, the race was run for the first time over an all-weather surface. It was downgraded back to Grade III status in 2011.

Vinery Racing sponsored the Spiral Stakes in 2011 and 2012. In 2013, Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati became the sponsor of the race for five years. As of 2018 the race is sponsored by Jeff Ruby Culinary Entertainment, owner of Jeff Ruby's Steakhouses. As part of the sponsorship, the race is referred to as the Jeff Ruby Steaks (similar to other sporting events named for a product).

In 1991 Hansel set a track and stakes record while winning the Jim Beam Stakes on his way to winning champion three-year-old honors, while Serena's Song became the first filly to win the race in 1995. Winners who would go on to capture at least one of the American Classic Races include Summer Squall (1990), Lil E. Tee (1992), Prairie Bayou (1993), and Animal Kingdom (2011).

Records

Speed record

• 1+1⁄8 miles – 1:46.60 Hansel (1991)
• 1+1⁄16 miles – 1:42.00 Banner Bob (1985)
• 1 mile – 1:36.60 Major Run (1980)

Margins

• 15 lengths – Bootlegger's Pet (1973)
• 13 lengths – Five Star General (1980)
• 12+3⁄4 lengths – Balto Star (2001)

Most wins by an owner

• 4 – Golden Chance Farm (1977, 1978, 1980 (2))

Most wins by a jockey

• 5 – Pat Day (1984, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1992)

Most wins by a trainer

• 7 – William E. Adams (1977 (2), 1978 (2), 1979, 1980 (2))

Winners

Legend: All Weather Track Dirt Notes: ƒ Filly

See also

• Road to the Kentucky Derby
• List of American and Canadian Graded races

External links

• [dead link]