Close Hatches impresses in six-furlong work

ELMONT, N.Y. – Close Hatches probably doesn’t need any help to work fast, but she got it by way of a tremendously fast surface and a workmate as Close Hatches blazed five furlongs in 57.92 seconds over Belmont Park’s main track Saturday morning at Belmont Park.

Close Hatches, the leading older female horse in training, is preparing for the Grade 1 Spinster Stakes at Keeneland on Oct. 5.

Close Hatches began her work about two lengths behind stablemate Abraham. Under Rodolphe Brisset, Close Hatches chased Abraham through a quarter in 23.09 and got her opening three furlongs in 34.47. She came home in 23.45 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:10.41.

“He told the lead horse to go on and the lead horse went on,” said Mott, referring to his exercise rider. “She was quicker than I wanted, but she looked fine when she came back good. We got two weeks back to the race.”

Close Hatches is 4 for 4 this year with Grade 1 victories in the Apple Blossom, Ogden Phipps, and Personal Ensign. The Spinster will be her final start before a likely meeting with Beholder in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita on Oct. 31. Last year, Beholder and Close Hatches ran one-two in the Distaff.

Among other notable works Saturday morning at Belmont was Palace, the dual Grade 1-winning New York-bred who went five furlongs in 1:01.31 over Belmont’s training track. Palace is pointing to the Grade 1 Vosburgh here next Saturday.

Palace went his first quarter in 25.54 before getting his final three furlongs in 35.77. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.42.

“He went off a little slow early, then I told him to pick it up,” said trainer Linda Rice, who communicates with exercise riders via two-way radio. “The horse has wanted to get a little heavy, so I wanted to set him down a little bit.”

Though Palace is coming off two Grade 1 wins at Saratoga, Rice said the horse is doing well physically, but she feels the need to run him again before a potential start in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

“Two different times I had to turn him out,” Rice said. “While he’s on the top of his game, I want to keep going with him. I don’t want to wait for him to not be at his best.”

Real Solution (Joe Hirsch Turf Classic) and Stephanie’s Kitten (Flower Bowl) worked five furlongs together in 1:01.92 over the Belmont turf course. Alterite, also pointing to the Flower Bowl, worked five furlongs over the turf in company with Minorette in 1:01.30. Minorette is pointing to the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth at Keeneland.