TAPIT’s Grade 3 winning Juddmonte-bred son Batten Down added another stakes win to his record on Sunday with a victory in the Pig Trail Overnight S. at Oaklawn Park.
The 1 ½ mile race saw the 5-year-old keen to go to the front under John Velazquez and headed straight for the lead. He comfortably held that spot throughout the run, happy to keep about a length between him and the rest of the field. Halfway through the far turn, Velazquez cued him for more and Batten Down quickly responded.
He proved to be much the best as a heavy favorite, using the stretch to extend his lead to 8 ¼ lengths by the time he crossed the line with the third placed runner nearly 14 lengths behind him.
🚢 #6 BATTEN DOWN ($4.80) sailed to victory in the $135,000 Pig Trail Overnight Stakes at @OaklawnRacing. The @JuddmonteFarms homebred by Tapit (@Gainesway) is a full-brother to Tacitus & Scylla! @ljlmvel rode for Bill Mott. pic.twitter.com/2kzVvJUekX
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) March 1, 2026
The winner of last year’s Ohio Derby (G3) among his three stakes victories, he was also third in the Jim Dandy S. (G2). In all, he has won four of his starts with eight top three finishes in 13 starts overall for $800,795.
The horse is out of champion Close Hatches, who is also the dam of TAPIT’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) winner Scylla and multiple Grade 2 winner and six-time Grade 1-placed Tacitus among her four winners with her TAPIT son Maximus Aurelius rounding out those four winners.
A champion and five-time Grade 1 winner, Close Hatches is a half-sister to the stakes winning Lockdown. Lockdown is a successful broodmare in her own right as the dam of champion Idiomatic with their stakes placed TAPIT half-sister Hail producing a stakes performer as well.
This family also includes the two-time Group 1 winner Siskin as well.
This is the third stakes winner of the year for TAPIT.