Study Guide: 2026 John Battaglia Memorial Stakes

Feb 17, 2026 J. Keeler Johnson/TwinSpires.com

Stop the Car wins at Churchill Downs. (Photo by Coady Media)

The Road to the Kentucky Derby heads to Turfway Park on Saturday for the $175,000 John Battaglia Memorial S., worth 20-10-6-4-2 points to the top five finishers.

Contested at a distance of 1 1/16 miles over Turfway’s synthetic Tapeta track, the John Battaglia Memorial has drawn a large field. Let’s meet the entrants:

Street Beast

Street Beast wins the Leonatus Stakes at Turfway Park. (Photo by Coady Media)

Start(s): 5
Wins: 3
Place: 1
Show: 0

Owner: Midway Racing
Breeder: Sunnybrook Stables
Trainer: Ben Colebrook
Jockey: Luan Machado

Top Speed Rating: (89) when winning an allowance at Kentucky Downs.
Total Earnings: $885,784

Sire: Street Sense
Dam: Flower Party
Color: Bay

Street Beast looms as the horse to beat. The fourth-place finisher from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) handled Turfway’s Tapeta track with aplomb in last month’s one-mile Leonatus S., leading all the way to win by one length. There aren’t many horses with early speed entered in the John Battaglia Memorial, so Street Beast has a strong chance to get out in front and score another gate-to-wire win.

STREET BEAST went gate-to-wire in the Leonatus at @TurfwayPark last night! This was the 3YO's second career stakes win. 🌟

The Leonatus is a prep race for the Florence Road to the @KentuckyDerby series! 🌹 pic.twitter.com/ikRW7wRNyz

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) January 18, 2026

Steel Imperium

Steel Imperium wins at Turfway Park.(Photo by Coady Media)

Start(s): 1
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: LCI
Breeder: CHC
Trainer: Caio Caramori
Jockey: Dylan Machado

Top Speed Rating: (80) when winning a maiden special weight at Turfway Park.
Total Earnings: $59,192

Sire: Essential Quality
Dam: Summer Solo
Color: Gray/roan

Steel Imperium impressed when debuting in a six-furlong maiden special weight at Turfway, overcoming a slow start to rally late and win by four lengths. However, he’ll need to improve upon the 80 Brisnet Speed rating he posted in order to beat tougher competition in the John Battaglia Memorial.

Maximus Prime

#5 Pinky Finger edges out #5 Maximus Prime in the Kentucky Juvenile at Churchill Downs. (Photo by Coady Media)

Start(s): 7
Wins: 0
Place: 2
Show: 1

Owner: Gary Bizzack and Tiffany Bizzack
Breeder: Brandywine Farm (Jim and Pam Robinson)
Trainer: Anthony Mitchell
Jockey: Walter Rodriguez

Top Speed Rating: (81) when finishing second in a maiden special weight at Keeneland.
Total Earnings: $92,887

Sire: Maximus Mischief
Dam: Sweet Alternative
Color: Bay

Maximus Prime is winless in seven starts, but he earned a Road to the Kentucky Derby qualification point when finishing fifth in the Iroquois (G3). The question is, will he race in the John Battaglia Memorial? He finished third in a maiden special weight at Turfway last Saturday, shortly after entries for the John Battaglia Memorial were taken.

Kilo Tango

Kilo Tango wins at Turfway Park. (Photo By Coady Media)

Start(s): 3
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 1

Owner: WinStar Farm, CHC, and First Go Racing
Breeder: Mark Stansell
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Fernando De La Cruz

Top Speed Rating: (80) when winning a maiden special weight at Turfway Park.
Total Earnings: $73,586

Sire: Candy Ride
Dam: Up in Smoke
Color: Bay

Kilo Tango lost his first two starts on dirt and turf, but improved when trying Tapeta in a one-mile maiden special weight at Turfway, charging from far back to win by half a length. He gained five lengths through the final furlong alone and shouldn’t be underestimated for hot trainer Brad Cox.

Baytown Dreamer

Baytown Dreamer wins at Ellis Park. (Photo by Coady Media)

Start(s): 10
Wins: 1
Place: 1
Show: 3

Owner: Baytown Partnerships
Breeder: Brookstone Farm, Lee Mauberett, and James Blazek
Trainer: Paul McEntee
Jockey: Orlando Bocachica

Top Speed Rating: (85) when finishing fourth in the Tremont S. at Saratoga.
Total Earnings: $248,563

Sire: Mendelssohn
Dam: Colerful Bride
Color: Chestnut

Baytown Dreamer has already competed in six stakes races, most notably finishing third in the 1 1/16-mile Smarty Jones S. on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. He’s trying Tapeta for the first time in the John Battaglia Memorial and can’t be counted out of the mix for a top-five finish.

Time for Money

Time for Money wins at Churchill Downs. (Photo by Coady Media)

Start(s): 5
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: J. Lester Wagner
Breeder: Ramspring Farm
Trainer: John Ennis
Jockey: Danny Sheehy

Top Speed Rating: (81) when winning a maiden special weight at Churchill Downs.
Total Earnings: $82,341

Sire: Not This Time
Dam: Free Money
Color: Bay

Time for Money broke his maiden on turf, then faltered when trying Tapeta in a one-mile $62,500 allowance optional claimer at Turfway, finishing fourth with a 75 Brisnet Speed rating. He’ll need to do better to factor in the John Battaglia Memorial.

Attfield

Attfield wins the Central Park Stakes. (Photo by Coglianese Photo)

Start(s): 3
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 1

Owner: West Paces Racing, Rainbow’s End Racing Stable, and Anthony Prisco
Breeder: Jose Martin Ramirez
Trainer: Thomas Morley
Jockey: Ricardo Santana Jr.

Top Speed Rating: (93) when finishing third in the Futurity (G3) at Aqueduct.
Total Earnings: $158,500

Sire: Vekoma
Dam: Graceful Witch
Color: Chestnut

Attfield has shown ability on turf, winning the 1 1/16-mile Central Park S. and finishing third in the six-furlong Futurity (G3). The latter effort earned a 93 Brisnet Speed rating, the highest number in the John Battaglia Memorial field. If he handles the switch to Tapeta, Attfield can challenge for victory in his Road to the Kentucky Derby debut.

Great White

Great White wins the Gary L Wilfert Memorial at Turfway Park. (Photo by Coady Media)

Start(s): 2
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: Three Chimneys Farm and John Ennis
Breeder: Stud TNT
Trainer: John Ennis
Jockey: Alex Achard

Top Speed Rating: (81) when winning a maiden special weight at Turfway Park.
Total Earnings: $62,152

Sire: Volatile
Dam: Kelly Bag
Color: Gray/roan

Great White won his first start sprinting at Turfway, then stretched out over one mile to finish fifth in the Leonatus. He’ll need a step forward to turn the tables on Street Beast.

Stop the Car

Stop the Car wins at Churchill Downs. (Photo by Coady Media)

Start(s): 3
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: Trade Winds Farm
Breeder: Gary and Mary West Stables
Trainer: Brendan Walsh
Jockey: Edgar Morales

Top Speed Rating: (92) when winning a $100,000 allowance optional claimer at Churchill Downs.
Total Earnings: $119,913

Sire: Maximum Security
Dam: Pussyfoot
Color: Bay

Stop the Car won his first two starts, including a $100,000 allowance optional claimer, romping by 3 3/4 lengths with a 92 Brisnet Speed rating. But he was beaten to seventh place when making his Road to the Kentucky Derby debut in the Lecomte (G3). The John Battaglia Memorial looks like an easier race, but Stop the Car may need at least a little improvement to take first prize in his debut on Tapeta.

Stop the Car with a 16/1 upset in R5 at @churchilldowns, paying $34.34 to win! 💰🚗

Another win on the card for both @brenpwalsh and @tyler_gaff.

🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/91RRDysRGx

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) November 29, 2025

Aces Honor

Start(s): 4
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 1

Owner: Pocket Aces Racing
Breeder: W. S. Farish
Trainer: Ethan West
Jockey: Victor Carrasco

Top Speed Rating: (84) when winning the Texas Turf Mile S. at Sam Houston.
Total Earnings: $99,690

Sire: Code of Honor
Dam: Too Cool to Dance
Color: Chestnut

Aces Honor enters the John Battaglia Memorial off back-to-back wins. He led all the way to take the Texas Turf Mile last month and must be respected in his first try on Tapeta, though securing the early lead could be tricky with Street Beast starting to his inside.

Fulleffort

Fulleffort wins at Keeneland. (Photo by Coady Media)

Start(s): 5
Wins: 2
Place: 1
Show: 1

Owner: St. Elias Stable and Starlight Racing
Breeder: Athens Woods
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Vincent Cheminaud

Top Speed Rating: (84) when winning an allowance at Keeneland.
Total Earnings: $210,615

Sire: Liam’s Map
Dam: Callmethesqueeze
Color: Gray/roan

Fulleffort put up a good try against Street Beast in the Leonatus, rallying from last place in an eight-horse field to finish second by one length. He gained 2 1/2 lengths through the final furlong and has a good chance to catch Street Beast while stretching out over 1 1/16 miles in the John Battaglia Memorial.

Two Out Hero

Two Out Hero wins the Soaring Free Stakes at Woodbine. (Photo by Michael Burns Photo)

Start(s): 3
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 1

Owner: Gold Square
Breeder: Corser Thoroughbreds
Trainer: Kevin Attard
Jockey: Rafael Hernandez

Top Speed Rating: (89) when finishing third in the Summer (G1) at Woodbine.
Total Earnings: $133,795

Sire: War Front
Dam: Song River
Color: Bay

Two Out Hero has shown talent on turf, winning the Soaring Free S. and finishing third by one length in the Summer (G1). But he also won his debut sprinting six furlongs on Tapeta at Woodbine by 12 lengths. Returning to Tapeta while dropping in class for the John Battaglia Memorial stamps Two Out Hero as a win contender.

Small Town

Small Town wins at Turfway Park. (Photo by Coady Media)

Start(s): 1
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: Grantley Acres and Ryan Conner
Breeder: Grantley Acres and Ryan Conner
Trainer: Michael McCarthy
Jockey: Walter Rodriguez

Top Speed Rating: (82) when winning a maiden special weight at Turfway Park.
Total Earnings: $58,492

Sire: Speightstown
Dam: Big Meesh
Color: Chestnut

A maximum of 12 horses will be allowed to start in the John Battaglia Memorial. Small Town is the also-eligible entrant who will need a scratch in order to compete. If he does draw in, he warrants respect; he won his debut in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Turfway, and he has the pedigree to successfully stretch out over 1 1/16 miles.