Da-duh da-duh 🎶🦈 Great White lurks, pounces, bites into Derby points with Battaglia win

Stakes recap by Turfway Park publicist Kevin Kerstein (Coady Media/Ashley Phillips photo above)

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FLORENCE, Ky. (Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026) – Three Chimneys Farm and John Ennis’ Great White made a bold three-wide move around the far turn and held off a late charge from Fulleffort to win Saturday night’s 44^th running of the $174,835 John Battaglia Memorial (Listed), closing out the Prep Season on the Road to the Kentucky Derby at Turfway Park Racing & Gaming.

Ridden by Alex Achard and trained by Ennis, Great White completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.83.

Street Beast, sent off as the 9-5 favorite, broke sharply and went immediately to the lead under jockey Luan Machado. Into the first turn, he was immediately joined to his outside by Attfield while Great White tracked in third. 

Street Beast carved out a fast-opening quarter-mile in :23.88 with Attfield continuing to hound him through a half-mile in :48.84. Around the far turn, Great White made a bold three-wide move and hit the lead but had to hold off a late charge of Fulleffort, who was beginning to find his best stride in the center of the track. Inside the final sixteenth, Great White dug down deep to gamely fend off Fulleffort by a neck.

“He was in a great spot throughout the race,” Ennis said. “Last time out he didn’t get away from there well but Alex (Achard) was able to get him away from the gate better tonight and got a good position. Alex thought he might have moved a little too soon but the horse kept finding more for him. You can see how big he is, and I think the greater the distance, the better for him. With his size, you have to wait and see how he comes out of this before deciding the next option. We’ll talk it over with the owner and make a plan. He’s a very exciting prospect moving forward.”

“He was traveling great the entire race,” Achard said. “I was a little worried when I hit the front because I didn’t want to move too soon on him, but he really stretched out nicely.”

It was 1 ¼ lengths back to Maximus Prime in third. He was followed by Baytown Dreamer, Steel Imperium, Kilo Tango, Attfield, Aces Honor, Two Out Hero, Time for Money and Street Beast.

Sent off at odds of 15-1, Great White rewarded his backers by paying $32.32.

Great White is a gelded son of Volatile out of the Uncle Mo mare Kelly Bag. He was bred in Kentucky by Stud TNT, LLC.

The John Battaglia Memorial awards the top five finishers qualifying points on a 20-10-6-4-2 scale toward a spot in the starting gate in the 152^nd running of the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI). It also serves as the local prep for the March 21, $777,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (GIII) on the Road to the Kentucky Derby Championship Series.

Live racing at Turfway Park continues Wednesday through Saturday with a daily first post of 5:55 p.m. ET. For more information and to purchase tickets for Jeff Ruby Steaks Day, visit www.turfway.com