Leonatus Stakes winner Epic Ride continues traveling on Turfway Park’s road to the Kentucky Derby on Saturday night as the favorite in an overflow field for the $150,000 John Battaglia Memorial. The Battaglia, at 1 1/16 miles, has drawn 14 entrants; 12 may start. The race, which awards its top finishers points toward the Kentucky Derby starting gate on a 20-10-6-4-2 scale, is the final local prep toward the Grade 3, $700,000 Jeff Ruby on March 23. That race will award points on a 100-50-25-15-10 basis. Epic Ride has made a quick ascent through the ranks this winter at Turfway for Welch Racing and trainer John Ennis. The son of Blame was second by a neck in his debut in December before winning by five lengths next out in a six-furlong maiden race on Jan. 5. Stretched out to a mile in the Leonatus on Feb. 2, the colt gave a similar performance, making all the pace before widening in the lane. He won by four lengths over Blue Eyed George and Good Bali, who both are back for the Battaglia. “The two turns didn’t cause a problem,” Ennis told Turfway publicity. “We were very pleased with his performance that day. He’s always trained great in the mornings, and he’s such a levelheaded horse that it was easy for him to rate and relax throughout the race. . . . It’s a sixteenth farther, I don’t think it’ll be an issue with the way he galloped out in the mile stake.” Epic Ride earned Beyer Speed Figures of 86 and 84 in his maiden win and the Leonatus, respectively. The only others in this field to crack an 80 Beyer are Bolt At Midnight and Gettysburg Address. Bolt At Midnight, trained by Mick Ruis, earned an 87 Beyer for a maiden win Feb. 9 at Turfway. He figures as one of the main pace threats to Epic Ride and is drawn in post 4 under Martin Garcia, with the favorite coming from post 6 under Adam Beschizza. :: Subscribe to the DRF Post Time Email Newsletter: Get the news you need to play today's races!  Since winning his sprint debut, Gettysburg Address has finished fourth in three consecutive two-turn races. One of those efforts came in the Smarty Jones at Oaklawn, where he posted an 82 Beyer. The colt, drawn on the rail, is one of two entrants for Brad Cox. Both of Cox’s runners will have to work out a trip, as they bookend the large field. Turfway-based Encino, another pace threat, will start in post 12 and will be trying to get over to save ground before the first turn under Axel Concepcion. After finishing a good second on debut after a slow break, he was a handy winner on the lead going a mile Jan. 26. Mission Ready won an allowance race going a mile Jan. 18 at Turfway. Mugatu, who was third in that race, again finished third to the promising Tennessee, a Jeff Ruby candidate, last time out. Completing the main body of the field are Indiana allowance winner Fidget; Break Out, coming off a maiden win on the Gulfstream turf; Ode to Balius, an Ellis maiden winner making his first start since August; and Turfway maiden-claiming winner Mr. Faversham. The also-eligibles are Turfway allowance winner Karlwithanarl and Katheeb. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.