Florida Shipper Congruent in Harmony in Battaglia
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Photo: Coady Photography
Congruent draws away to win the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes at Turfway Park
Thundering down the center of the Turfway Park stretch, Tami Bobo and Lugamo Racing Stable's Congruent pulled clear for a decisive come-from-behind victory March 4 in the $147,500 John Battaglia Memorial Stakes.
Sonny Leon, who rode Rich Strike to an 80-1 upset in the 2022 Kentucky Derby (G1), was aboard the victorious Florida invader, who raced 1 1/16 miles on Tapeta in 1:43.02. Congruent, a gray son of Tapit trained by Antonio Sano, won for the third time in nine starts, returning $35 for a $2 win wager.
Bred by Tapit Syndicate and Glencrest Farm in Kentucky, Congruent is out of the Stormy Atlantic mare Part the Seas .
The Battaglia distributed Kentucky Derby qualifying points on a 20-8-4-2-1 basis to the race's eligible top-five finishers, provided they are nominated to the Triple Crown or become nominated before the series.
Following Congruent across the wire were Scoobie Quando , Bromley , Moon Landing , and Miranda Rights . Bromley is not currently a Triple Crown nominee.
Video: John Battaglia Memorial S. (BT)
Botanical wins the Cincinnati Trophy Stakes
Earlier on the card, LNJ Foxwoods and Clearsky Farms' Botanical won her third straight at Turfway Park in the $150,000 Cincinnati Trophy Stakes, a Kentucky Oaks (G1) points. She pulled away by 6 1/2 lengths, completing a mile beneath Chris Landeros in 1:36.51.
The Brad Cox-trained 3-year-old daughter of Medaglia d'Oro paid $3.90 on a $2 win ticket. She was bred in Kentucky by Clearsky and Godolphin out of the grade 3-winning Blame mare Daisy .