Running in Saturday night’s $175,000 John Battaglia Memorial certainly won’t offer pleasant racing conditions, but it does reward the winner with 20 qualifying points on the Road to the 2025 Kentucky Derby (G1).
With the weather forecast calling for below-freezing temperatures and racing days at Turfway Park in Florence, Kentucky, being shuffled, the 1 1/16-mile Battaglia is a go.
And a full field of 12, with two also eligibles, is entered, led by 2-1 morning-line favorite First Resort, winner of the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 30.
The Godolphin-owned Uncle Mo colt is trained by Eoin Harty, who, like many other conditioners with horses in the race, has had to work around the cold and snowy weather.
“It’s been a less than ideal prep all winter in Kentucky,” Harty told drf.com. “It’s been stop and go, stop and go. Wish I had a more fluid preparation, but I’ve got him as fit as I can get him.”
First Resort, who leaves from post 9 under Luis Saez, is 2-for-4, winning his debut at Ellis Park, running second in the Saratoga Special (G2), and fourth in the Summer Stakes (G1) at Woodbine before taking the Kentucky Jockey Club.
Following the Battaglia, which offers 20-10-6-4-2 to the first five finishers, the following six Kentucky Derby preps award 50-25-15-10-5 points.
While trainer Kenny McPeek will be in Riyadh to watch his Rattle N Roll run in the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1), he’ll keep tabs on Maximum Promise, listed at 8-1. The colt ran a closing fifth in the Lecomte Stakes (G3), less than two lengths behind the winner Disco Time.
The Battaglia will be run over the all-weather track with a post time of 8:55 p.m. ET.
Among other contenders are Turfway Park-based Baby Max (6-1), the Leonatus Stakes winner; Turfway Prevue winner Comin in Hot (5-1); and California Burrito (8-1), an impressive allowance winner over the all-weather surface.
For those who bet horse racing on chilly nights ...
1 Spirit Rags (Santo Sanjur, Marcelino Salas), 20-1
2 Shan (Albin Jimenez, Ed Moger, Jr.), 30-1
3 Studlydoright (Xavier Perez, John Robb), 8-1
4 Calling Card (Gerardo Corrales, Mike Maker), 10-1
5 California Burrito (Irving Moncada, Tom Drury, Jr.), 8-1
6 Banks (Adam Beschizza, Joe Sharp), 15-1
7 Baby Max (Abel Cedillo, Kelsey Danner), 6-1
8 King of Ashes (Declan Cannon, Brendan Walsh), 15-1
9 First Resort (Luis Saez, Eoin Harty), 2-1
10 Coming in Hot (Edgar Morales, John Ennis), 5-1
11 Brereton's Baytown (Marshall Mendez, Paul McEntee), 30-1
12 Maximum Promise (Luan Machado, Kenny McPeek), 8-1
13 Special Caliber (Evin Roman, Michel Douaihy), 30-1
14 Maitre D (Evin Roman, Doug O'Neill), 30-1
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
