Amerman Racing’s Kentucky homebred Endlessly made it look easy in the $700,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway Park on Saturday, March 23.
With the impressive win, Endlessly picked up 100 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard. He currently sits in second behind only Louisiana Derby winner Catching Freedom. Despite the lofty ranking, trainer Michael McCarthy indicated that his charge is not aiming for the Derby. Instead, he is targeting the American Turf Stakes (G2) on the Derby undercard for his charge.
Reserved well off the early pace, Endlessly was confidently handled by jockey Umberto Rispoli. He rallied strongest of all through the lane and powered home to win the 1 1/8-mile test in 1:50.15. A son of Oscar Performance (also an Amerman homebred), Endlessly has never raced on dirt. Now a winner in five of six lifetime starts, Endlessly won the Del Mar Juvenile Turf Stakes (G3) and the Zuma Beach Stakes (G3) over the lawn last year at two.
Unplaced in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) at Santa Anita last November, Endlessly took down top prize in the El Camino Real Derby over the synthetic surface at Golden Gate Fields in February. That authoritative win earned the colt a berth in the Preakness Stakes (G1). All told, Endlessly has banked $707,200. He is out of the unraced Langfuhr mare Dream Fuhrever.
Also at Turfway Park on Saturday, Everland won the Bourbonette Oaks, earning 50 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard. A daughter of the late Arrogate, Everland, a winner in three of seven lifetime starts, is owned by Foster Family Racing, William Wargel, R.K. Eckrich Racing, and Maxi’s Stable. Bred in Kentucky by George Strawbridge, Everland is out of the winning Tapit mare Ever Changing.