Godolphin’s Kentucky Jockey Club (Grade II) winner First Resort is leading an oversubscribed field of 12 3-year-olds and two also-eligibles in the 43rd running of the $175,000 John Battaglia Memorial, which takes place at Turfway Park Racing and Gaming next Saturday.
The John Battaglia Memorial will be the featured seventh race on the 10-race schedule, running 1 1/16 miles and posting at 8:55 p.m. (all times Eastern). 5:55 p.m. is the first post time.
Uncle Mo’s homebred son, First Resort, has spent the winter training at Turfway Park in anticipation of his 3-year-old debut. First Resort, trained by Eoin Harty, made a name for himself as a Kentucky Derby contender by winning the Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) at Churchill Downs by a margin of two lengths. First Resort finished second in the Saratoga Special (GII) after winning his debut at Ellis Park by three lengths before that start. The mount from post No. 9 is still owned by jockey Luis Saez, who led First Resort to victory in the Kentucky Jockey Club.
A number of Turfway Park’s most successful 3-year-olds are competitors of First Resort, including Baby Max, the winner of the J S Stables Leonatus Stakes; Rose Hill Farm; Vincent Colbert; John Trumbulovic; James Connor’s Turfway Prevue winner Comin in Hot; and Aaron and Victoria Haberman’s California Burrito, a striking allowance winner over the Tapeta surface.
Three Diamonds Farm’s Calling Card, a New York-bred mare who won her first special weight race by 17 lengths; Back Racing and Run for LaRoses Maximum Promise, who won her first race at Ellis Park by 14 lengths; and Mens Grille Racing’s two-time stakes winner Studlydoright are among the talented 3-year-olds scheduled to make their first start at Turfway.
The whole John Battaglia Memorial field, including the jockey and trainer, as seen from the rail out:
Spirit Rags by Marcelino Salas and Santo SanjurShan (Ed Moger Jr., Albin Jiminez)Studlydoright (John Robb, Xavier Perez)Calling Card (Mike Maker, Gerardo Corrales)California Burrito (Tom Drury Jr., Irving Moncada)Banks (Joe Sharp, Adam Beschizza)Baby Max (Kelsey Danner, Abel Cedillo)Declan Cannon and Brendan Walsh, King of AshesFirst Choice (Harty, Saez)John Ennis and Edgar Morales are coming in hot.Brereton’s Baytown (Paul McEntee, Marshall Mendez)Maximum Promise (Kenny McPeek, Luan Machado)
Special Caliber (Michel Douaihy, Evan Roman) is also qualified.Maitre D (Evin Roman, Doug O. Neill) is also qualified.
In order to earn a place in the starting gate for the $5 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI), the top five finishers will get qualifying points from the John Battaglia Memorial on a 20-10-6-4-2 scale.
On Saturday, March 22, Turfway Park will host the $777,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (GIII), a crucial leg in the Championship Series, as part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
Go to www.turfway.com to learn more about Turfway Park’s racing and gaming offerings.
Racing and Gaming at Turfway Park
