Magna Graduate shipped north from his Florida base to score a relatively easy 3 3/4 length victory in the 1 1/16 mile John Battaglia Memorial Stakes Saturday at Turfway Park. Magna Graduate's connections saw the race as a chance for a confidence builder; a chance to score a victory away from the deep waters of the Fountain of Youth (GII) at Gulfstream. In retrospect, the decision looked very wise, as High Fly, the same horse that beat Magna Graduate soundly in the Aventura Stakes, took the Gulfstream feature.

At Turfway, Magna Graduate faced a mixture of shippers; Pavo, from New York, and Ultimate, also from Florida, as well as the local contingent. The bettors sent Magna Graduate off as the 3-1 second choice behind the favorite Ultimate. As he has done in all his races, Magna Graduate broke alertly, settling nicely in second under Dean Sarvis. Ultimate showed the way by two lengths down the backstretch, getting the half mile in a spry :46.86. Magna Graduate made his move on the leader around the far turn, gaining to even terms at the top of the stretch. He shook loose from that one at the eighth pole, and drew off for the win, stopping the timer in 1:43.94. Pavo was able to gain the place spot as Ultimate tired to be third. Malibu Moonshine, who came in from Maryland, completed the all-shipper superfecta. Cat Shaker, Interline, Smart Voyager, Chirinda Forest, and Western Bulldog completed the order of finish.

Magna Graduate, owned by Ohio resident Elisabeth Alexander, scored his first stakes victory, though he was second in Turfway's Kentucky Cup Juvenile (GIII) last fall, as well as a third in the Aventura. The $62,000 payday raised his lifetime earnings to $152,582, with a 3-1-2 record from seven starts.

Magna Graduate paid $8.00, $4.00, and $2.60 to win; while Pavo paid $5.20 and $3,80 to place. Ultimate's show was worth $2.80. The $2 exacta paid an even $36.00.

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