$125,000 John Battaglia Memorial Stakes, 1 1/16 miles (Tapeta), Turfway Park, March 5, 2022
(10 Derby qualifying points for first, 4 for second, 2 for third, 1 for fourth)
Winner: Tiz the Bomb, by Hit It a Bomb
Trainer: Kenny McPeek
Jockey: Alex Achard
Owner: Magdalena Racing
Beyer Speed Figure: 82
Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes; one mile; Aqueduct; March 5, 2022
(50 Derby qualifying points for first, 20 for second, 10 for third, 5 for fourth)
Winner: Morello, by Classic Empire
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Jose Lezcano
Owner: Blue Lion Thoroughbreds, Craig Taylor, and Diamond T Racing
Beyer Speed Figure: 96
Classic Causeway is all set for his role as the favorite in the Tampa Bay Derby after having his final prerace breeze Saturday at the Palm Meadows training center on the Atlantic Coast.
Classic Causeway was a dominant winner of the Feb. 12 Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs. The chestnut colt went five furlongs in 59.80 seconds in preparing for the Grade 2, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby, to be run Saturday as the annual Festival Day showcase at Tampa in Oldsmar, Fla.
Grade 2, $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes, 1 1/16 miles, Gulfstream Park, March 5, 2022
(50 Derby qualifying points for first, 20 for second, 10 for third, 5 for fourth)
Winner: Simplification, by Not This Time
Trainer: Antonio Sano
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
Owner: Tami Bobo
Beyer Speed Figure: 96
Grade 2, $401,000 San Felipe Stakes, 1 1/16 miles, Santa Anita, March 5, 2022
(50 Derby qualifying points for first, 0 for second, 10 for third, 5 for fourth)
Winner: Forbidden Kingdom, by American Pharoah
Trainer: Richard Mandella
Jockey: Juan Hernandez
Owner: My Racehorse and Spendthrift Farm
Beyer Speed Figure: 98
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Morello remained undefeated and helped further fuel the Kentucky Derby dreams of his connections with an authoritative 4 1/2-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct.
After getting bumped at the start due to pressure to his inside, Morello, under Jose Lezcano, stalked the pacesetting Dean’s List before taking over from that one just outside the eighth pole. In the final furlong, Morello widened his advantage while under a hand ride from Lezcano.
Brad Cox is contemplating pulling the old stakes switcheroo with a couple 3-year-olds.
The Cox-trained Cyberknife took a sizeable step forward winning a first-level dirt-route allowance race Feb. 19 at Fair Grounds. Meanwhile, Zozos, who won his sprint debut in January at Fair Grounds, crushed first-level allowance rivals in a two-turn dirt race Feb. 11 at Oaklawn, winning off by 10 1/4 lengths.
The talented Tiz the Bomb has a chance to regroup in the $125,000 John Battaglia Memorial Stakes on Saturday night at Turfway Park, a Kentucky Derby points race on the synthetic Tapeta that could be a first step in a number of directions.
“We may shift back to grass,” trainer Kenny McPeek said. “Hopefully, this is just one step of many.”
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – While it is unlikely Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct produces a serious Kentucky Derby contender, there are several in here who could be factors in the 3-year-old division at shorter distances.
