Belmont Park
Close Hatches tunes up for Ogden Phipps
Tom Keyser Close Hatches won the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn and is pointing to the $1 million Ogden Phipps at Belmont on June 7.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Close Hatches, the Apple Blossom Handicap winner, worked five furlongs in 1:00.25 on Monday over the Belmont training track in preparation for her showdown with Beholder and Princess of Sylmar here in the Grade 1, $1 million Ogden Phipps Stakes on June 7.
Under Rodolphe Brisset, Close Hatches went her first three furlongs in 35.43 seconds and came home her final quarter in 24.82 without being asked. She galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.36 and seven furlongs in 1:29.81.
“She worked well, I was happy with her,” trainer Bill Mott said.