Juddmonte’s blue-blooded homebred Batten Down took the lead initially and by no means was headed as he posted an upset victory within the $500,000 Ohio Derby (G3) June 22 at Thistledown.
Closely favored Catching Freedom , who received the Louisiana Derby, ran a stable fourth within the Kentucky Derby (G1) and most lately completed third within the Preakness Stakes (G1), completed fourth. The stretch-running Structure  colt tried to make an early transfer on the free-running winner, however his advance stalled and he was handed late for third place by Rose Petal Secure’s Copper Tax .Batten Down, gr/ro, 3/c
Tapit — Shut Hatches, by First Defence
Proprietor: Juddmonte
Breeder: Juddmonte (KY)
Coach: William I. Mott
Jockey: Junior Alvarado
Info offered by Equibase at time of entry.
Pedigree Notes
Tapit stands at Gainesway for $185,000 (2024).
Batten Down, a 3-year-old colt by Tapit  out of Juddmonte’s champion older feminine Shut Hatches , is a full sibling to classic-placed, a number of grade 2 winner Tacitus  and spectacular 2024 Shawnee Stakes (G3) winner Scylla . Tacitus, who stands for $10,000 at Taylor Made Stallions in Nicholasville, Ky., has first-crop yearlings in 2024.
Educated by Invoice Mott and ridden by Junior Alvarado, Batten Down was stepping up off an 8 3/4-length maiden win April 30 going 1 1/4 miles at Churchill Downs. That efficiency put him into account for the Belmont Stakes (G1), however Juddmonte and Mott selected Ohio for his or her bettering colt making his fifth profession begin.
The unique Ohio Derby subject of 10 was lowered to 6 with race day scratches of Frizzante , Deposition , Who’s the King , and Mugatu . Ranging from the skin submit Saturday, Batten Down broke outward barely initially, then straightened and sped to the entrance with a flashy opening quarter in :22.86. He hit the half-mile mark in :46.82, holding a five-length lead at that time.Join BloodHorse Each day
The Ken McPeek trainee Gould’s Gold , who’s co-owned by McPeek’s Magdalena Racing and two of the house owners of Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mystik Dan —4G Racing and Lance Gasaway—was Batten Down’s closest pursuer all through.
Batten Down held a three-length lead by way of six furlongs in 1:11.20. Though he stayed on his left lead for a lot of the stretch run, he straightened late to safe the win by 1 3/4 lengths over Gould’s Gold. Remaining time for 1 1/8 miles on the quick grime was 1:50.20. Batten Down paid $8.60 to win.
Tapit, now the sire of 103 graded black-type winners, stands at Gainesway in Lexington for $185,000.
#9 BATTEN DOWN ($8.60) goes wire to wire within the $500,000 Ohio Derby (G3). @JuniorandKellyA was within the irons for coach Invoice Mott and proprietor @JuddmonteFarms. A 3YO colt by Tapit out of Shut Hatches, Batten Down is a full-brother to MGSW Tacitus and up to date G3 winner Scylla. pic.twitter.com/lpoKQmtEzE— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) June 22, 2024
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Copper Tax got here to Ohio a winner of seven of 10 begins, together with the Non-public Phrases and Federico Tesio stakes at Laurel Park. Coach Gary Capuano resisted operating within the Preakness with the Maryland-based colt and that transfer resulted in a third-place end right here, the Copper Bullet  colt’s first graded inserting.
Withers Stakes (G3) winner Uncle Heavy and the maiden Charleston accomplished the order of end after 2-5 favourite Catching Freedom.
Batten Down has received twice in 5 begins and earned $394,850. He debuted with a sixth-place end going seven furlongs in one of many quickest maiden races of the winter at Gulfstream Park, received by Converse Straightforward .
After ending second and third in subsequent maiden races at Gulfstream after which Keeneland, Batten Down took an enormous step ahead when stretched to 1 1/4 miles at Churchill. He now looms a contender for the summer season’s main 3-year-old stakes.
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