Bret Battaglia sets the morning line at Turfway Park in Florence and provides daily picks and comments for the Trib during the live racing meets.
The horses are listed in order of Battaglia’s preference, with morning-line odds in parenthesis.
KASSEOPIA (6-1) comes in off a nice third place finish in the G3 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate despite breaking very poorly in that one. That was his first start since October when he was second in the G3 Grey at Woodbine after breaking his maiden in England and he should move forward in his second start back from the layoff today. A better trip today should make him a winner in a very well-matched renewal of The Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati Spiral Stakes.
AIROFORCE (3-1) didn’t show much as the favorite in his three year old debut in the Risen Star at the Fairgrounds. He showed some very strong form as a two year old, just missing in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Turf and winning graded races on both the turf and dirt. A return to that form makes him the one to beat.
SURGICAL STRIKE (12-1) didn’t post a big number when winning the Battaglia, but was visually impressive in that one. He figures to be running at the end again and could score an upset at decent odds .
RALIS (6-1) hasn’t shown much since winning the G1 Hopeful at Saratoga back in September. He makes his second start as a three year old today and definitely has the ability to run well here.
AZAR (5-1) moves back in against stakes company after an impressive win in his dirt debut at Gulfstream in his last start. He’s a graded winner on the turf as well and shouldn’t mind the switch in surfaces for Pletcher today.
JENSEN (6-1) has never been worse than second in four career starts for Larry Jones at the Fairgrounds and could be dangerous here in his stakes debut.
DON’T BE SO SALTY (8-1) comes in off of two solid efforts on the grass at Gulfstream and was a stakes winner over the Polytrack at Woodbine as a two year old.
OSCAR NOMINATED (10-1) shows a win and a second in his last two starts and is bred to like the extra distance.
TWO STEP TIME (15-1) comes in off a win against minor stakes company in Texas and ran a solid race on the synthetic at Ocala before that one.
SWAGGER JAGGER (20-1) didn’t show much in the Battaglia last time out, but shows a nice work over the track since that one and should improve in his second start over the track.
STRIKE UP THE BAND (20-1) would have to improve to win here, but has won three of his six career starts.
THAT MAKES SENSE (30-1) a maiden, but horses from Lukas’s barn always have to be respected.
AE CRESCENT DRIVE has never been worse than third in four career starts and would be a contender if he drew in off the AE list.
AE DIPLODOCUS ran a solid race at long odds behind my top pick, but needs two scratches to get in.