Itzos faces plenty of company on front end of Leonatus Stakes

Itzos, a half-brother to Hall of Famer Rachel Alexandra, was a flashy maiden winner at Turfway Park last month. He looks to take the next step in his promising career as he stretches out in the $125,000 Leonatus Stakes on Saturday night at the Florence, Ky., track.

The Leonatus, for 3-year-olds going a mile on Tapeta, leads directly into Turfway’s two Kentucky Derby points races – the $150,000 John Battaglia Memorial (20-8-6-4-2) at 1 1/16 miles on March 4 and the Grade 3, $700,000 Jeff Ruby (100-40-30-20-10) at 1 1/8 miles on March 25. Last year, Rich Strike finished third in the Leonatus, fourth in the Battaglia, and third in the Ruby en route to his upset victory in the Kentucky Derby.

Itzos is from the first crop of the Medaglia d’Oro horse Bolt d’Oro. He is out of stakes winner Lotta Kim, who, in addition to 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra – by Medaglia d’Oro – also has produced Grade 3-placed Dolphus and Gladys and stakes-placed Wooderson. Itzos’ stellar pedigree made him a $1.4 million purchase by Larry Best’s OXO Equine at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga selected yearling sale.

In his Nov. 26 debut at Churchill Downs, Itzos was involved in the pace before tiring to ninth in the seven-furlong dirt race. He returned Dec. 29 at Turfway, again raced on the engine, and then took over to win by 1 1/2 lengths with a Beyer Speed Figure of 72 going 6 1/2 furlongs.

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Itzos was cross-entered in the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes on Saturday at Fair Grounds, but trainer Paulo Lobo told Daily Racing Form that the colt will run at Turfway, where Joseph Ramos keeps the mount from post 6.

Although Itzos’ pedigree suggests a two-turn test will be in his wheelhouse, the colt is likely to find plenty of company on the front end, which will toughen his task. The speed horses include morning-line favorite Funtastic Again, coming off an allowance/optional-claiming win going a mile at Turfway for Wesley Ward and jockey Gerardo Corrales. He is well-drawn in post 3, and just inside him is American Speed, a front-running maiden winner going a mile at Indiana last summer.

American Speed proceeded to press the pace and finish fourth in the Grade 3 Nashua Stakes at Aqueduct, also at a mile. Since then, he has been moved to trainer Brad Cox. American Speed will be making his first start on a synthetic track, but he is by the multi-purpose sire More Than Ready. Rounding out the confirmed speed horses is Mendel’s Secret, a close third after setting the pace in a Turfway allowance/optional claimer.

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Hayes Strike is moving to synthetic after running well in several Derby points races for Kenny McPeek, whose Tiz the Bomb won the Battaglia and Ruby last year. Hayes Strike was second in the Grade 3 Street Sense to Two Phil’s at Churchill; third in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club behind Instant Coffee and Curly Jack; and fourth in the Gun Runner at Fair Grounds. Instant Coffee and Two Phil’s are entered in the Lecomte, which goes off a little less than an hour before the Leonatus and will provide some insight into form.

Raise Cain, ahead of Hayes Strike when second in the Gun Runner, is entered in the Leonatus for Ben Colebrook. Raise Cain and Hayes Strike own some of the best Beyers in this field, as Raise Cain posted an 81 in the Gun Runner and Hayes Strike ran an 80 in the Kentucky Jockey Club. Funtastic Again ran an 82 in his maiden win on the Saratoga turf.

Ironsides and Saturn Boy, maiden-claiming winners at Turfway, and the 13-start maiden Accident complete the field.

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