Gilmore, Scoobie Quando prominent in John Battaglia Memorial

Mar 02, 2023 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

On a busy Saturday of Kentucky Derby (G1) preps from coast to coast, the points race action culminates in the $150,000 John Battaglia Memorial (9:25 p.m. ET) at Turfway Park. 

The 1 1/16-mile contest on Tapeta serves as the final local stepping stone to Turfway’s major lead-up to the Kentucky Derby, the Mar. 25 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3). An overflow field of 14 was entered for the Battaglia, which offers points to the top five on a 20-8-6-4-2 scale.

Here are three Battaglia talking points:

1. Gilmore invades after a runner-up effort in the El Camino Real Derby.

Second as the 9-5 favorite in the Feb. 11 El Camino Real Derby on the Tapeta at Golden Gate Fields, Gilmore has since switched to trainer Brendan Walsh. The former Bob Baffert trainee had romped in a one-mile maiden at Los Alamitos in his prior start, and the slight cutback from the 1 1/8-mile El Camino Real could suit him well. 

Gilmore has been installed as the 3-1 morning-line favorite for the Battaglia. His stock would be boosted if El Camino Real Derby winner Chase the Chaos performs well in the San Felipe (G2) about four hours earlier at Santa Anita.

2. Scoobie Quando leads the local brigade.

Scoobie Quando made a memorable career debut in the Jan. 7 Turfway Prevue at 6 1/2 furlongs. Although he had not raced before, and bypassed easier maiden company to go straight into a stakes, the Ben Colebrook trainee was bet down to 1.46-1 favoritism. Scoobie Quando lived up to billing, despite his inexperience, to prevail by a hard-fought neck.

Stretching out to a mile for a Feb. 11 allowance, the well-bred son of Uncle Mo settled for second behind Godolphin’s impressive Wadsworth. That rival is skipping the Battaglia, reportedly awaiting the Jeff Ruby, so Scoobie Quando doesn’t have to face him here.

Also absent is Funtastic Again, the commanding winner of the Jan. 21 Leonatus S., but the respective second through fourth – American Speed, Ironsides, and Accident – are entered. Note that Ironsides is first on the also-eligible list. Other contenders with local form include Bromley, a Dec. 28 allowance winner who was a disappointing fifth in the Lecomte (G3) at Fair Grounds; last-out allowance winner Aristocracy, a Tapit colt from the well-stocked Brad Cox barn; and two more from the Wadsworth allowance, third-placer Miranda Rights and fourth Clear the Air (who’s second on the also-eligible list and also cross-entered to the Gotham [G3] at Aqueduct.)

3. Freezing Point and Congruent are among the contenders intriguing on a surface switch.

Freezing Point hasn’t raced on an all-weather surface, but the son of Frosted crushed a Churchill Downs maiden over a mile on Nov. 3. He would be competitive if he runs up to that level on Tapeta, and his turf-oriented family suggests a degree of versatility.

Congruent, winner of the off-the-turf Laurel Futurity last fall, found the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) too tough and checked in eighth. Subsequently competing in turf stakes at Gulfstream Park, the Antonio Sano pupil has yet to finish better than third. Perhaps he’ll reach another level on Tapeta. 

Two other Florida shippers, both sons of Kentucky Derby winners, are already proven on Tapeta tracks. Eyes on the King, by 2007 champ Street Sense, captured an allowance on the Gulfstream Tapeta but trailed in the Mucho Macho Man S. when reverting to dirt. Moon Landing, by 2016 Derby hero Nyquist, won first time out on Woodbine’s Tapeta and most recently finished fourth on the Gulfstream Park turf.