Tiz the Bomb delivers in John Battaglia; Bubble Rock upsets Cincinnati Trophy

Tiz the Bomb launched a well-timed rally to claim the $125,000 John Battaglia Memorial S. on Saturday at Turfway Park.

The 2021 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) runner-up struggled in his Road to the Kentucky Derby debut, finishing seventh in the Holy Bull S. (G3) on Feb. 5 at Gulfstream Park. But switching from dirt to the synthetic Tapeta track at Turfway triggered a major rebound.

A dozen horses lined up to contest the John Battaglia, a 1 1/16-mile event awarding Kentucky Derby qualification points to the top four finishers on a 10-4-2-1 basis. Tiz the Bomb was favored at 8-5 and ran to his odds under jockey Alex Achard, rating off the pace through splits of :23.97, :48.18, and 1:12.44 before reeling in pacesetting Erase and holding off stretch-running Stolen Base to prevail by a neck in 1:44.12.

Stolen Base pulled 2 1/4 lengths clear of Grael, who was in turn a half-length clear of Rich Strike. Erase, O P Firecracker, Dropping G’s, Legendary Lore, La Belleza Negra, Bloodline, On Thin Ice, and Goldeneye completed the order of finish.

Tiz the Bomb is a son of Hit It a Bomb owned by Magdalena Racing and trained by Kenny McPeek. A winner on dirt, turf, and synthetic, Tiz the Bomb has accumulated three stakes wins and might be favored to claim a fourth in the Apr. 2 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway Park, a 1 1/8-mile Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier worth 100-40-20-10 to the top four finishers.

Half an hour after the John Battaglia, Road to the Kentucky Oaks contenders took center stage in the $125,000 Cincinnati Trophy S., a one-mile heat worth 10-4-2-1 points to the top four finishers. The undefeated three-time stakes-winning sprinter Marissa’s Lady was favored to win in her route debut, but after leading through splits of :23.99, :47.72, and 1:12.33, she failed to withstand the challenge of Bubble Rock.

Victorious in the Matron S. (G3) on turf at Belmont Park last year, Bubble Rock handled Tapeta just fine in the Cincinnati Trophy. After tracking the pace from second place under jockey Marcelino Pedroza, Bubble Rock took command inside the final furlong to score by 2 1/2 lengths in 1:37.19.

Tap Dancing Lady and Bhoma completed the top four, followed by Zawish, Queen Judith, Hal’s Dream, and Glacken’s Cause.

The Cincinnati Trophy reversed the form of the Feb. 12 Valdale S. at Turfway, a six-furlong sprint in which Marissa’s Lady defeated Bubble Rock by half a dozen lengths. The longer distance of the Cincinnati Trophy was doubtless a factor, though it’s also likely Bubble Rock took a step forward in her second start since a troubled 12th-place finish in the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1).

Trained by Brad Cox, Bubble Rock is a daughter of More Than Ready racing in the colors of Shortleaf Stable. The dark bay filly has yet to race on dirt, but that’s not a prerequisite for qualifying for the Kentucky Oaks. Bubble Rock can earn her way into the starting gate via the Apr. 2 Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway, a 1 1/16-mile Tapeta test worth 50-20-10-5 points to the top four finishers.