It’s another talented runner for TAPIT out of champion mare Close Hatches after Batten Down won a Churchill Downs Maiden Special Weight by an easy 8 ¾ lengths.
The Juddmonte homebred went off as the favorite in the 1 ¼ mile dirt race and it was quickly clear why. Breaking strongly, he went straight to the lead and the race was all but over from that point. Jockey Junior Alvarado let the colt set his own pace with Batten Down keeping a clear lead down the backstretch.
Let out another notch, Batten Down extended his lead around the far turn and kept building it down the stretch.
Alvarado eased the colt in the final furlong when it was clear there was no threat toward the win with nearly nine lengths between him and the runner up. There was 13 ¼ lengths between the winner and third placed runner as well.
Wow! #2 Batten Down just dominates in R4 at Churchill Downs under @juniorandkellya for trainer Bill Mott and owner @JuddmonteFarms! 🤩💪
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/fqG3PkPyBV
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) April 30, 2024
Trained by Bill Mott just like his dam, he is a full brother to Mott’s multiple graded stakes winner and multiple Grade 1-placed Tacitus and to the Grade 3-placed Scylla. Close Hatches has four winners from four to race with all four by TAPIT.
Close Hatches is a half-sister to TAPIT’s stakes placed Hail as well. The mare’s stakes winning full sister Lockdown is also the dam of last year’s Champion Older Dirt Female Idiomatic.
The all-time leading North American sire by progeny earnings, TAPIT has eight Churchill Downs runners to come this week, led by Kentucky Oaks (G1) runner Tapit Jenallie.
Batten Down, full sibling to Tacitus (o/o champion Close Hatches), after running away for maiden win today in his fourth try, stretching out to 10F. Official margin was 8 3/4 lengths. pic.twitter.com/W774yKhUJ6
— Nicole Russo (@DRFRusso) April 30, 2024