Race 9 at Turfway Park | Saturday, February 21 | Post Time 9:55 PM Eastern

John Battaglia Memoria Stakes | Purse $175,000 | One Mile and One Sixteenth | Three Year Olds

Winning contenders are Kilo Tango (4), Fulleffort (11)

Other contenders: Street Beast (1), Two Out Hero (12), Ace Honor (10)

Contenders and analysis:

Brad Cox has an uncoupled entry in this year’s John Bagglia Memorial Stakes with Kilo Tango (4) and Fulleffort (11), and I think both are top contenders. I’ll start with Kilo Tango, who won powerfully on January 3, rallying from 11th to win going away. Kilo Tango’s most recent Equibase Speed Figure is 84, up from his second career race of 73, which is up from the 61 he earned in his debut race. This suggests he should improve again. The best figures earned in recent races are 95 for Ace Honor (10) and 96 for Street Beast (1), making Kilo Tango a top contender to win. Jockey Machado moves to run on Street Beast, but De La Cruz, riding Kilo Tango, has won nearly 40% of his mounts for Cox over the past year. Cox won the 2024 John Battaglia Memorial Stakes with Encino, who also won a route race at Turfway Park in his maiden, where Kilo Tango recently won.

Fulleffort (11) finished second in the Leonatus Stakes on January 17, a one-mile race, where he rallied at the end and finished a length behind. The winner of the Leonatus was Street Beast. That was Fulleffort’s first all-weather race, with jockey Cheminaud also making his debut riding Fulleffort. Fulleffort has improved, with figures of 86, 90, and 93 in his three races.

Street Beast (1) won the Leonatus, taking the lead from the wire, and won his first all-weather race after a two-and-a-half-month layoff. His most recent performance on October 31 was a big effort, finishing fourth out of 14 horses in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. His previous win was the Juvenile Stakes at Kentucky Downs, where he stalked in second from the start before he won powerfully by seven lengths. Although Street Beast has the rail, he can take the lead, but he doesn’t have to. Trainer Colebrook earned a second in this race in 2023 with Scoobie Quando, and the recent winners of the Leonatus in 2025 (Epic Ride) and 2024 (Baby Max) were second in the John Battaglia. History bodes well for Street Beast and Fulleffort in this race.

Two Out Hero (12) finished third in the Grade 1 Summer Stakes on September 12, in a turf route, beaten a length by the winner. He won his only all-weather race by 12 lengths, his career debut, and he won his second start on turf, a stakes, and earned improving figures from 83, 90, and 94. Two Out Hero has been laid off since the fall, but his excellent trainer, Attard, has won numerous all-weather stakes, including taking Caitlinhergrtness in the My Charmer Stakes at Turfway Park in December; his only race as a trainer on this track over the past three years is a stakes race. Jockey Hernandez has been the only jockey to ride for Two Out Hero.

Ace Honor (10) just won the Texas Turf Mile Stakes on January 24, where he earned an excellent 96 figure. He has a lot of early speed, but in his race on December 20, he stalked in third and earned a 98 figure. He has a good chance to place or better.

Bets:

Wins bets: Bet both Kilo Tango (4), Fulleffort (11) at fair odds of 5 or 2 or higher.

Street Beast (1) can be considered at odds of 7 to 2 or higher.

Exactas:

Kilo Tango (4), Fulleffort (11) over Kilo Tango (4), Fulleffort (11), Street Beast (1), Two Out Hero (12), Ace Honor (10).

Kilo Tango (4), Fulleffort (11), Street Beast (1), Two Out Hero (12), Ace Honor (10) over Kilo Tango (4), Fulleffort (11).