Meet the Contenders: 2024 John Battaglia Memorial
Epic Ride winning the 2024 Leonatus S. at Turfway Park (Photo by Coady Photography)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
