Battle at Sea blazes to Crescent City Derby triumph

A second turn has turned Battle At Sea into a tiger.

In his first race since a fourth-out maiden win that came in his two-turn debut, Battle At Sea set a crackling pace in the $75,000 Crescent City Derby and never came close to being headed, holding clear a mildly closing Pound for Pound to win this 1 1/6-mile dirt race for Louisiana-bred 3-year-olds at Fair Grounds.

“It’s what he wanted all along,” trainer Mike Maker said of the switch to route racing. “Two-year-old season, there aren’t a lot of route races. He had a minor injury when we had him at Saratoga, so we put him away for this meet.”

Battle At Sea broke promptly and jockey Jose Ortiz let him use his speed, making the lead before the first turn. The wind-aided fractions of 23.28 and 46.69 were quick, but Battle At Sea looked comfortable and didn’t take pace pressure.

“When he made the lead he relaxed right away,” Ortiz said. “That was the key.”

Battle At Sea went six furlongs in 1:11.76, a mile in 1:37.85, and stopped the timer in 1:44.90 over a track rated fast. Pound For Pound made a sustained rally and was closing the gap late, but never looked like a winner while passing a tiring Gracida for second. Gladyousawme, the 8-5 favorite, never got involved.

Battle At Sea paid $17.20 winning his second straight race. Owned by Three Diamonds Farm, the colt is by Into Mischief and out of the Capote mare Mystery At Sea.