Turfway Park hosts its annual Derby prep race Saturday. Take a look at the field.

The coronavirus pandemic has slammed the door shut on major sports around the nation, from March Madness to the upcoming Masters golf tournament.

Somehow, Thoroughbred racing has found a way to press on, and that will be the case Saturday at Turfway Park in Florence when the racetrack hosts its major Kentucky Derby prep race, the Jeff Ruby Steaks.

Fans interested in watching will have to do so from afar after Turfway Park’s announcement Thursday that racing would continue for the remainder of the Spring Meet with no spectators in attendance in order to reduce the chance of spreading COVID-19.

The race will be televised live on Fox Sports 2 and TVG. Post time is 6:42 p.m. Fans may bet on all of Turfway’s races at TwinSpires.com.

The $250,000, Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks will be run at 1 1/8 miles and will be worth 20 points to the winner in the Road to the Kentucky Derby scoring system.

The Jeff Ruby is one of only two official Kentucky Derby prep races run on a synthetic surface, and is historically difficult for bettors to handicap, according to America’s Best Racing. Last year’s winner, Somelikeithotbrown was the first race favorite to win the Jeff Ruby Steaks since Turfway installed Polytrack in 2005, the website reported.

The Turfway race, formerly known as the Spiral Stakes, is most famous for delivering 2011 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom to the Run for the Roses.

Invader is the 3-1 favorite on the morning line in a field of 12 3-year-old Thoroughbreds racing on Turfway’s synthetic surface. Field Pass is the 7-2 second choice and is followed in the morning line by Myamanoi (4-1), Finnick the Fierce (6-1), Fancy Liquor (8-1) and Halo Again (8-1).

Invader is owned by Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stables and LNJ Foxwoods. The colt will be ridden by Albin Jimenez for trainer Wesley Ward.

Invader has two victories among his six career races and those came in his two most recent races, both at Turfway Park. Invader won a maiden special weight event on Dec. 4 and followed that up by winning the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes on Feb. 14 by 6 1/4 lengths.

Field Pass also boasts a robust resume for a 3-year-old, having won two races among his seven career starts. Field Pass, owned by Three Diamonds Farm, trained by Michael Maker and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., won the Dania Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 1 in his most recent outing but has never raced at Turfway.

Myamanoi finished fourth in the Dania Beach Stakes won by Field Pass and has one win in three starts for trainer Danny Gargan.

Here is the full field for the Jeff Ruby Stakes in post-position order with morning-line odds: Dack Janiel’s (30-1), Toma Todo (20-1), Fancy Liquor (8-1), Unthrottled (30-1), Myamanoi (4-1), Halo Again (8-1), Victory Boulevard (30-1), Finnick the Fierce (6-1), Austrian (50-1), The Stiff (12-1), Invader (3-1) and Field Pass (7-2).

Saturday

Jeff Ruby Steaks

What: Kentucky Derby prep points race (20-8-4-2)

When: 6:42 p.m. EDT

Where: Turfway Park in Florence

TV: FS2 and TVG

Purse: $250,000 (Grade 3)

Distance: 1 1/8 miles

Favorite: Invader (3-1)