Close Hatches continues to dominate division
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – In Royal Delta, Bill Mott trained the champion older female for the last two years. In Close Hatches, Mott may have the next older female champion.
Close Hatches certainly strengthened her hold on the older filly and mare division Friday with a dominant, front-running five-length victory in the Grade 1, $500,000 Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga. It was the fourth win in as many starts this year for Close Hatches and her third Grade 1 success this year to go along with the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn and the Ogden Phipps at Belmont Park.
After viewing the replay several times, Mott said Saturday morning, “I was pretty impressed.”
“I don’t know if any of them can run any better than what she did,” Mott said. “She just kept going. She found a good stride early on, she was determined, she showed good speed, and she loved the mud.”
Close Hatches covered 1 1/8 miles in the mud in 1:50.62 and earned a 99 Beyer Speed Figure.
After the Personal Ensign, Garrett O’Rourke, the racing manager for the U. S. division of Prince Khalid Abdullah’s Juddmonte Farms, said Close Hatches would be pointed to the Grade 1 Juddmonte Spinster at Keeneland on Oct. 5, then the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita on Oct. 31.
The Personal Ensign was a Win and You’re In race for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
Mott said Close Hatches came out of the Personal Ensign in good order. His biggest decision between now and the Spinster is where to keep Close Hatches based. She excels over Belmont Park’s main track, where she did all of her serious training leading up to the Personal Ensign. As of Saturday, she remained in Saratoga.