$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 TIZ THE BOMB, best known for being the pari-mutuel winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, bounced back from his poor try in the Holy Bull with this victory, though it’s still fair to ask if he will handle dirt against top-level competition as this was on an all-weather surface. His connections have made noise about potential starts on grass in Europe, which is aiming high but seems more reasonable than a Kentucky Derby bid based on his turf vs. dirt form. This race finished off the round of preps worth 17 points overall, with 10 to the winner. It is a prep to the April 2 Jeff Ruby Stakes, which is worth 10 times the Battaglia, 170 overall, with 100 to the winner. That makes the Jeff Ruby a Win and You’re In for the Derby. :: KENTUCKY DERBY 2022: Derby Watch, point standings, prep schedule, news, and more As for this race, Tiz the Bomb was bumped at the start by both O P FIRECRACKER and BLOODLINE, raced mid-pack while three to four paths wide on the first turn, then made a bold move into the far turn to quickly advance while four paths wide. He drifted out a bit coming off the bend, accelerated sharply once in the lane while drifting in slightly, continued drifting to the rail, and just did hold off the onrushing STOLEN BASE. A good, solid race, but what it means in terms of a Derby on dirt is obviously up for debate. Stolen Base, who finished second, saved ground while toward the back half of the field around the first turn. He rallied between rivals early on the far turn while two to three paths wide, waited in a bit of traffic near the end of that turn, couldn’t go with the winner at mid-stretch, but after angling outside him in the final sixteenth took hold and finished with a rush to just miss. GRAEL, who was third, stalked the pace while three paths wide around the first turn, then was sent along on the far turn to try and go after ERASE and LA BELLEZA NEGRA. He couldn’t go with the eventual winner in upper stretch, but kept to his task with a grinding, one-paced style to edge several rivals for the last spot in the trifecta. RICH STRIKE, who was fourth, veered in leaving the gate to be off last, then saved ground around the first turn while toward the rear of the field. He was in front of just one horse with three furlongs to go, saved ground on the far turn, got through one path off the rail, drifted in slightly at mid-stretch, then finished decently between rivals late. Erase, who was fifth, had good speed away from the gate, crossed over and had a clear advantage a quarter-mile into the race. He continued to lead down the backstretch and around the far turn, turned back a bid from La Belleza Negra midway on the turn, had the narrowest of leads into the lane, but gradually tired the final furlong. He just couldn’t stay the trip. O P Firecracker, who was sixth, veered out at the start and bumped Tiz the Bomb, then raced toward the rear of the field while three to four paths wide around the first turn. He moved a bit closer early on the backstretch, but then lost ground nearing the far turn, only to engage anew with a rally four paths wide on the far turn. He was fanned widest of all coming off the bend, then finished evenly. He ran in spots, like a horse who needs blinkers, but he added blinkers for this race. He’s probably just a work in progress. DROPPIN G’S, who finished seventh, was unhurried early and raced toward the rear of the field while inside of O P Firecracker around the first turn. He followed O P Firecracker initially on the far turn but didn’t have the same acceleration, was three paths wide most of the turn, drifted in during the stretch run, but never really entered contention. LEGENDARY LORE, who was eighth, raced mid-pack while in the clear and two to three paths wide on the first turn. He had Tiz the Bomb roar past him heading to the far turn, dropped back between rivals midway on the turn, then checked while being outrun at mid-stretch when Dropping G’s drifted in. :: Take your handicapping to the next level and play like a pro with free Formulator, DRF's premium data product La Belleza Negra, who was ninth, was away well from an inside draw, then angled outside of Erase after Erase crossed over in the opening quarter-mile. He stalked Erase while under a snug hold down the backstretch, cut into the deficit early on the far turn, had no response in upper stretch, and steadily retreated. Bloodline, who was 10th, bumped with Tiz the Bomb leaving the gate, then moved up to a stalking position just behind the leaders while between rivals in the two path around the first turn. He continued in that spot to the far turn, got down to the rail three furlongs out while advancing to fourth, started to tire in upper stretch while inside, then was squeezed at mid-stretch by Rich Strike while continuing to tire and dropped farther back. ON THIN ICE, who was 11th, was shuffled back in the opening yards, then had to check, putting him last into the first turn. He trailed to the far turn and only passed one rival while showing no interest throughout. He also raced on his wrong lead through the stretch. GOLDENEYE, who finished last of 12, used his rail draw to save ground around the first turn while following the leaders. He stayed in that ideal spot down the backstretch to the far turn, but went in reverse three furlongs out and was pretty much eased before he reached the top of the stretch, though he was allowed to jog across the wire.