Here’s a view of the field from the rail:
Street Beast, the 5-2 favorite in the morning line, pulled the inside post for trainer Ben Colebrook with regular rider Luan Machado back on board. The Street Sense colt last started in the Leonatus Stakes at Turfway in his three-year-old debut after finishing fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar to end his two-year-old campaign. Steel Imperium rose from last to a four-length win on his career debut at Turfway just a few weeks ago, earning a 91 Equibase Speed Figure. Maximus Prime, the lone player in the field, will make his sixth start for coach Anthony Mitchell after starting his career trained by the late Larry Demeritte. Kilo Tango, the first of two Brad Cox-trained competitors, scored his maiden win in his third career start last time out, which was also his first attempt on Turfway’s all-weather circuit. Baytown Dreamer won on grass at Ellis Park in July, finished third in the Smarty Jones Stakes on dirt at Oaklawn Park in early January and will race on an all-weather surface for the first time. Time for Money, trained by John Ennis, won at Churchill Downs on grass in October and will make his second start at Turfway after finishing fourth last time. Attfield is fresh from victory in the Central Park Stakes at Aqueduct, covering 1 1/16 miles on artificial turf, and will make his first attempt on an all-weather surface. Ricardo Santana Jr. retains the mountain after their victory together last time. Great White, also trained by John Ennis, won on his career debut at Turfway on December 12 before finishing fifth in the Leonatus Stakes last time out. Stop the Car went 2-for-2 to start his career before finishing seventh in the Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds for trainer Brendan Walsh. Aces Honor, trained by Ethan West, is fresh off back-to-back wins on turf, including the Bob Bork Texas Turf Mile Stakes last time out at Sam Houston Race Park. Fulleffort is the second choice on the morning line at odds of 3-1 and is also the second Brad Cox-trained competitor. He last finished second to Street Beast in the Leonatus Stakes in his first attempt on an all-weather track after making four consecutive starts on grass. Two Out Hero won his career debut by 12 lengths on Woodbine’s all-weather track before scoring in the Soaring Free Stakes and finishing third in the bet365 Summer Stakes over Woodbine’s turf. He is set to make his first start outside Canada for trainer Kevin Attard, with regular rider Rafael Hernandez back on board. Small Town, who is also eligible in the field, won his first career start, a six-furlong sprint at Turfway on January 10, for trainer Michael McCarthy.
Analysis and top contenders:
Listed as the third choice of the 7-2 morning line, Two out hero presents solid betting value as he takes a strong third, beaten only a length, in the Summer Stakes at Woodbine in September. After his standout career win at six furlongs in July, Two Out Hero followed that effort with a victory in the Soaring Free Stakes by 1 ½ lengths, stretching to 6 ½ furlongs on grass. In doing so, he improved his Equibase Speed Figure from 83 to 90. Third place in that race, Argos, returned to defeat Two Out Hero in the Summer Stakes. Although he failed to secure victory in the Summer Stakes, Two Out Hero performed admirably in his debut in two turns on grass, briefly taking the lead while switching off the rail before being caught late. Two Out Hero earned a career-best 94 Equibase figure for this effort, continuing his progression of improving figures with each start. Two Out Hero enters the John Battaglia after a layoff of almost 5.5 months; However, trainer Kevin Attard is winning at a rate of 22%, with runners returning from a 60 to 180 day break. Although Attard has made just four career starts at Turfway Park, his most recent run at the track was a winner, when Caitlinhergrtness won the My Charmer Stakes in late December. Two Out Hero has a proven affinity for racing on an all-weather circuit, he has shown versatility by winning from the lead and stalking, and he has handled two corners effectively in graduated company. With much of the betting attention expected to focus on Street Beast and Fulleffort, Two Out Hero offers value while benefiting from class relief in this spot.
Full efforta half-brother to Grade 1 winner Power Squeeze, has shown steady progress throughout his career and enters this race with his third consecutive improving Equibase Speed Figure, earning a 93 in his second-place finish to Street Beast in the Leonatus Stakes. Although he settled for second, Fulleffort approached modest early fractions and should benefit from both a fairer pace scenario and the stretch to 1 1/16 miles in the John Battaglia, a distance at which he scored a dominant victory on the field at Keeneland in October. The son of Liam’s Map started his career with three one-mile turf starts, finishing fourth and third at Ellis Park before winning at Kentucky Downs on an Equibase Speed Figure of 86. He followed that effort with the aforementioned optional allowance and claimed victory at Keeneland, going five lengths clear as he improved to an Equibase Speed Figure of 90. The Leonatus marked Fulleffort’s first start on an all-weather surface, and despite got into the slow pace, he finished strong. This colt ranks second in the Battaglia field with a Late Pace Rating of 103.0 and benefits from strong connections as trainer Brad Cox has won at a 29% clip and finished in the top three 63% of the time on all-weather routes over the past three years at Turfway (128 starts). In his second start at the Turfway circuit, Fulleffort looks ready to take another step forward.
There are not many speed horses entered in the Battaglia, that is Street animal looks well positioned to control the pace, just as he did in his gate-to-wire victory in the Leonatus Stakes at Turfway last time. He has been remarkably consistent in his career, finishing outside the exacta only once, which was the aforementioned fourth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Street Beast debuted in August with a second-place finish in a turf sprint at Ellis Park before breaking through with a win at Kentucky Downs. He then posted a dominant score of seven lengths in the Juvenile Mile Stakes, also at Kentucky Downs, on his first route attempt. The bay colt earned a career-best (and best in this field) 102 Equibase Speed Figure in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, before posting a 95 Equibase Figure in the Leonatus following the class drop. In that race, Street Beast dictated the pace, setting moderate early fractions of 24.15 and 48.54 and holding on safely to win by a length. The John Battaglia will mark his first start after a mile, but Street Beast’s established tactical speed and proven class make him a major factor once again. Since his most recent victory, he has been posting sharp works across the Keeneland in all weather and plans to secure a favorable trip with another chance to explore this field to its fullest.
The rest of the field, with the best Equibase Speed Figures in comparable races, does Steel empire (91), Maximus Prime (93), Kilo Tango (84), Baytown dreamer (82), Time for money (85), Attfield (91), Great White (87), Stop the car (91), Aces honor (98), and Small town (87).
Win contenders in preference order:
Two out hero
Full effort
Street animal
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