Baby Max got the first jump on a loose longshot leader, and jumped onto Turfway Park's road to the Kentucky Derby with a 2 1/2-length victory in the $125,000 Leonatus Stakes on Saturday night.
The Leonatus, a one-mile tilt for 3-year-olds, leads into Turfway’s races offering the top finishers qualifying points toward the Derby. The prep series continues with the $175,000 John Battaglia Memorial (20-10-6-4-2) at 1 1/16 miles on Feb. 22 and the Grade 3, $777,000 Jeff Ruby (100-50-25-15-10) on March 22.
Baby Max, by the Into Mischief stallion Maximus Mischief, added his name to the mix with his second win from four career starts for Kelsey Danner, with his best performances coming around two turns. The colt was a second-out auction-restricted maiden winner, going 1 1/16 miles on the Churchill Downs dirt. He proceeded to finish a close second in an allowance/optional-claiming race going one mile at Turfway in December. The Leonatus marked his stakes debut.
Shan, the second-longest shot on the board at post time for the Leonatus, caught a flyer out of the gate from midpack and wasn't challenged as the field ran into the first turn. The colt, whose two wins were front-running efforts sprinting on the dirt at Horseshoe Indianapolis last year, opened a 2 1/2-length lead through a moderate first quarter of 24.88 seconds on the Tapeta. He maintained his margin while slowing it down to 50.01 seconds for the half – putting those who would try to rally in a difficult position. At that point Baby Max and Abel Cedillo had saved ground after breaking from post 2 and were getting an untroubled trip in third, about three lengths behind the leader. Favored Banks, coming off back-to-back mile wins at Turfway, was more than 4 1/4 lengths behind the leader, racing sixth in the field of eight.
Shan still led on the far turn, but began to come under a ride. Cedillo tipped Baby Max out to make his run outside of the leader, and once straightened away into the lane, the colt easily took command and kicked clear.
Chunk of Gold, making his second career start off a six-furlong debut win, had been seventh through the slow opening three-quarters. The colt made an eye-catching late run to be a clear second while never threatening Baby Max, who easily held for his 2 1/2-length final margin under a hand ride.
The time for the mile was 1:40.11.
After Chunk of Gold, it was 3 3/4 lengths back to Shan, who held third. He was followed, in order, by Church and State, Up to No Good, Hard as Life, Banks, who never responded, and Can't Deny It.
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