Turfway Park: Catalano runners one-two in Battaglia

FLORENCE, Ky. – Trainer Wayne Catalano caught a flight Saturday from New Orleans to Cincinnati, and it was worth the trip. His uncoupled 3-year-olds, Solitary Ranger and Poker Player, swept the top two spots in the 32nd running of the $100,000 John Battaglia Memorial Stakes at Turfway Park.

“You don’t really like to run them against each other like this, but they both fit the spot really well,” said Catalano.

Solitary Ranger, a 9-1 shot with Florent Geroux aboard for owner Susan Moulton, led wire-to-wire in the 1 1/16-mile Polytrack race, finishing 4 3/4 lengths ahead of late-running Poker Player, the 8-5 favorite for owners Gary and Mary West. It was another five lengths back to Harry’s Holiday in third, and eight more lengths back to Red River Rising in fourth.

The Battaglia is the local prep for the Turfway showcase, the Spiral Stakes. The Grade 3, $550,000 race will be run March 22 with 50 Kentucky Derby points to the winner.

[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]

Given how well both colts ran, Catalano said in the immediate race aftermath that he might run both back in the Spiral, although there are other Polytrack options such as the Blue Grass and Coolmore Lexington in April at Keeneland.

“What I’d really like now is to get some Derby points with them,” he said.

Solitary Ranger, a Kentucky-bred by U S Ranger, broke from post 2 and had good inside position while among five horses gunning for the early lead into the first turn. Geroux kept him there as the colt gradually eased away, and by the far turn, he was clear of all the chasers. By mid-stretch, he had gotten so far in front that a sustained late run by Poker Player was no threat.

Solitary Ranger “has the speed, and that made it tough for the other horse to catch him,” said Catalano, adding Poker Player “didn’t seem to handle it too well through the early part, but he did come pretty strong late.”

Solitary Ranger returned $21.60 after finishing in 1:47.21 in his third win from six career stars. He won the Grade 3 Arlington-Washington Futurity in his third career start and as a maiden last September in Chicago before ending his 2-year-old year with a ninth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland. His only subsequent race was a front-running victory Jan. 5 in a one-mile turf allowance at Fair Grounds.

Catalano said both colts were scheduled to ship Saturday evening to Keeneland, where they would resume training next week under his assistant, Kelsey Danner.

Emmett Park and Kids Rule were early scratches, leaving a field of nine. Kids Rule made the trip from Fair Grounds but suffered a bout of colic.

The $2 exacta (2-1) paid $78.40, the $1 trifecta (2-1-11) returned $289.80, and the 10-cent superfecta (2-1-11-5) was worth $156.12.

The Battaglia is named for the late general manager of Turfway (then Latonia). His son, Mike, called the race from his usual vantage point in the announcer’s booth before joining his family in the trophy presentation.