Meet the Contenders: 2024 John Battaglia Memorial
Epic Ride winning the 2024 Leonatus S. at Turfway Park (Photo by Coady Photography)
February 27th, 2024
Meet the horses running in the 2024 John Battaglia Memorial S. at Turfway Park. For each horse, we're listing a pro, a con, and a rating of potential. The star rating of 1 to 5 represents opportunity to perform well. Be sure to follow these contenders by adding them to your stable alerts.
Gettysburg Address (Photo by Coady Photography)
#1 Gettysburg Address ***
Pro: Top-level connections hoping class reprieve from Oaklawn will turn things around.
Con: Seemingly unfamiliar with this kind of surface and likely overbet again.
#6 Gettysburg Address gets the job done in R4 at Ellis Park under Martin Chuan for trainer @bradcoxracing! 🤩
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) August 6, 2023
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/98IOnZc11A
Ode to Balius (Photo by Coady Photography)
#2 Ode to Balius **
Pro: Showed respectable form at the start of his career on turf and dirt.
Con: Enters off a very long layoff dating to August.
#8 Ode to Balius breaks his maiden second time out in R5 at Ellis Park under @decky_cann for trainer @johnnyortiz24! 💪
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) August 12, 2023
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/MMlutJE6rI
Mr. Faversham (Photo by Coady Photography)
#3 Mr. Faversham *
Pro: Both runs here have been good, albeit against far easier.
Con: Exits maiden claiming ranks and lacks positional speed.
An impressive maiden-breaking performance for #11 Mr. Faversham caps off the Thursday card @TurfwayPark winning at odds of 3/1!
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) February 16, 2024
Jockey: Abel Cedillo
Trainer: @reredevaux
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/vknsvYhDiM
Bolt at Midnight (Photo by Coady Photography)
#4 Bolt At Midnight ***
Pro: Sharp maiden winner in second local start, earning 92 Brisnet Speed rating.
Con: Will get a stronger test of class in this spot.
#1 Bolt at Midnight and @luanmachado85 went to the front and never looked back in R5 @turfwaypark for trainer Mick Ruis! ⚡🕛@cp365
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) February 10, 2024
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/FFDwfyuZ8C
Fidget (Photo by Coady Photography)
#5 Fidget ***
Pro: Likely better than last-out run in Smarty Jones would suggest.
Con: Versatile as far as surface, though lacks experience on a synthetic track.
Epic Ride winning the 2024 Leonatus S. at Turfway Park (Photo by Coady Photography)
#6 Epic Ride *****
Pro: Cruised in Leonatus S. last out and has won last two by a combined nine lengths.
Con: Speedy type might see more pressure in this larger-sized field.
#6 Smokey Smokey just holds off the late inside run from #2 Epic Ride to take the Friday night cap @TurfwayPark at 3/1 odds!
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) December 9, 2023
Jockey: Axel Concepcion
Trainer: @trainerMMaker
Owner: Pura Vida Investments LLC
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/q0Pux4ifjv
Blue Eyed George (Photo by Coady Photography)
#7 Blue Eyed George ***
Pro: Second best in Leonatus and has thrown only one clunker in four starts.
Con: Earned 79 speed rating in latest, and that needs to improve.
The Louisiana-bred #2 Blue Eyed George returns to his winning ways in R7 at Keeneland for trainer Mike McCarthy with @ljlmvel in the irons! 🏆
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) October 26, 2023
The 2-year-old colt by Flameaway went off at 6/1.
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/B8ko36XcoH
Racing at Turfway Park (Photo by Coady Photography/Turfway Park)
#8 Break Out **
Pro: Graduated on the turf at Gulfstream last out and try on Tapeta two back was okay.
Con: One of several taking significant step up out of the maiden ranks.
Mission Ready (Photo by Coady Photography)
#9 Mission Ready ***
Pro: Addition of blinkers, Lasix likely helped secure upset allowance win last time.
Con: Inconsistency and relative class are main concerns.
#5 Mission Ready gets up in R7 at Turfway Park to upset at 24/1 for trainer Edward Fernandez with @gav_ashton aboard! 💰
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) January 19, 2024
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/1AGZbRJgQB
Good Bali (Photo by Coady Photography)
#10 Good Bali **
Pro: Showed improvement when a distant third in Leonatus.
Con: Needs to show more against that prep’s top two, and others.
It was a close finish, but #3 Good Bali gets the win in R6 at Ellis Park under Martin Garcia for trainer Rusty Arnold! 📸
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) July 14, 2023
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/v0PEJACIuu
Racing at Turfway Park (Photo by Coady Photography/Turfway Park)
#11 Mugatu *
Pro: Has a long body of work already and might appreciate slight step up in distance.
Con: 0-for-4 against allowance foes and appears rather exposed at this point.
Ecino (Photo by Coady Photography)
#12 Encino ***
Pro: Graduated for top-class connections after setting a slow pace but versatile in running style.
Con: Relatively inexperienced and not likely to offer much value from wide draw.
.@A_concepcion16 is back in Florence after last night's Eclipse Awards and pilots #3 Encino to victory in R5 at Turfway Park for trainer @bradcoxracing! 🏆@brysoncox23
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) January 27, 2024
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/AdfhwTyhui
Karlwithanarl (Photo by Coady Photography)
#13 Karlwithanarl *
Pro: Enters on a two-race win streak since adding blinkers.
Con: Beat far easier, including $15,000 maiden claimers, in those victories.
#2 Karlwithanarl gets an inside trip to win R3 at Turfway Park at 13/1 under @a_concepcion16 for trainer Robert Medina! 🤩@brysoncox23
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) February 3, 2024
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/r30tm2X9n7
Katheeb (Photo by Coady Photography)
#14 Katheeb ***
Pro: Crushed maiden rivals here and encountered significant trouble at GP last time.
Con: Stuck with a wide post if able to draw in off AE list.
There was absolutely no catching #5 Katheeb in the Wednesday night finale @TurfwayPark!
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) December 7, 2023
Jockey: @decky_cann
Trainer: @brenpwalsh
Owner: Shadwell Stable
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/yk5BuSoi2m
