Exotics Plays for the Leonatus Stakes

A cast of nine three-year-olds will run one mile on the Tapeta at Turfway in Saturday’s $125,000 Leonatus S. A pair of runners are sure to take a good portion of the wagers in the tilt, but I feel this is more than a two-horse race, and I’ll try to find some value in the feature. 

Leonatus Exotics

$6 exacta key box 2 with 5,9 ($24)
$3 trifecta box 2,5,9 ($18)

The Mark Casse-trained #2 Reb Five (8-1) was a stakes fifth in his debut on the Woodbine green prior to graduating in going-away fashion on the synthetic at that same venue second time out. By Vekoma, the sophomore came off the shelf and ran well when a close second in an allowance race on the Turfway course on Dec. 17, and the $50,000 yearling purchase will stretch out for the initial time in his career on this occasion.

Reb Five has improved his Brisnet Speed rating in each lifetime run leading up to Saturday, and his solid Late Pace ratings indicate that the move to eight furlongs might be well within his scope. The Kentucky-bred chestnut will always be in range with Edgar Morales in the stirrups. 

#9 Street Beast (8-5) had a fine juvenile season for conditioner Ben Colebrook. The bay son of Street Sense broke his maiden second time out in an allowance race on the green at Kentucky Downs, and followed that tally up with a daylight score in the lucrative Juvenile Mile S. at the same venue in his third appearance. He traveled to Del Mar for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) in his 2025 finale and finished a creditable fourth, and if the colt brings his two-year-old form to this race, then he will be formidable in his local bow beneath regular pilot Luan Machado. 

#5 Fulleffort (2-1), one of two in the group for trainer Brad Cox, has the best late kick in the group and could sit an ideal voyage from off of a contested pace on Saturday. The $425,000 son of Liam’s Map graduated at Kentucky Downs in his third assignment, which preceded a strong, five-length allowance victory on the green at Keeneland in his most recent endeavor. The Kentucky-bred gray is improving in advance of his black-type debut and will be doing his best work in the lane with Vincent Cheminaud inheriting the mount.