Fulleffort broke through with his first graded stakes victory on March 21, capturing the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park and securing his place in the Kentucky Derby. After finishing second in his two previous starts on the Kentucky Derby trail, the Brad Cox trainee delivered a decisive performance over 1 1/8 miles, taking advantage of the added distance to showcase his closing ability.

Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Fulleffort was positioned closer to the pace than in his prior efforts, sitting within striking distance through early fractions of :23.18, :47.16, and 1:11.34. Turning for home, he had only one rival left to pass and quickly took control, pulling away to a 2 1/2-length victory as the race favorite.

The final time of 1:49.94 reflected a showing, as Fulleffort proved capable of sustaining his run while carrying it over a longer distance. Stark Contrast finished second, with Medici taking thrid.

The win awarded Fulleffort 100 qualifying points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, guaranteeing him a spot in the starting gate at Churchill Downs on May 2 should connections elect to run.

Bred in Kentucky and owned by St. Elias Stable and Starlight Racing, Fulleffort is a son of Liam’s Map out of the Awesome Again mare Callmethesqueeze. The colt has now shown versatility across surfaces, with prior starts on turf before transitioning to synthetic at Turfway Park.