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Batten Down strong in the Ohio Derby (G3) June 22 at Thistledown (Coglianese)
Arthur’s Ride Preparing for G1 Whitney
NYRA Press Office
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.— Juddmonte’s Kentucky homebred Batten Down is probable for Saturday’s nine-furlong Grade 2, $500,000 Jim Dandy presented by Mohegan Sun after considering all options, per Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.
The Tapit gray won the nine-furlong Grade 3 Ohio Derby last-out on June 22 at Thistledown by 1 3/4 lengths over Gould’s Gold. He entered from a fourth-out 8 3/4-length graduation going 10 furlongs on April 30 at Churchill Downs.
“I guess that is the way we are going,” said Mott of the Grade 2 Jim Dandy. “When you have a horse like that, you look at all the options and think of where you fit. We felt it was time to reach out and take a chance in the Jim Dandy.”
#9 BATTEN DOWN ($8.60) goes wire to wire in the $500,000 Ohio Derby (G3). @JuniorandKellyA was in the irons for trainer Bill Mott and owner @JuddmonteFarms.
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) June 22, 2024
A 3YO colt by Tapit out of Close Hatches, Batten Down is a full-brother to MGSW Tacitus and recent G3 winner Scylla. pic.twitter.com/lpoKQmtEzE
Mott added that the 10-furlong Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers on August 24 here may become a potential goal with a strong showing.
“The Travers is run here. If we run well, maybe he can come back and run in the Travers,” said Mott.
Out of the multiple Grade 1-winner and 2014 Champion Older Mare Close Hatches, Batten Down is a full-brother to the Mott-trained multiple graded stakes winner Tacitus, who was a close second to Tax in the 2019 Jim Dandy.
Glassman Racing’s Arthur’s Ride continued his work towards the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney, a nine-furlong main track test on August 3 at the Spa. The historic event is a “Win And You’re In” qualifier for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic in November at Del Mar.
The 4-year-old Tapit gray breezed five furlongs over the Oklahoma dirt training track in 1:00.96 seconds in company with lightly-raced 4-year-old filly Nic’s Style, according to NYRA clockers.
“They both had a good work. They both looked good on the track,” said Mott. “They finished up well.”
Last out, Arthur’s Ride set the pace in a 10-furlong optional-claimer here on June 7 before drawing off to win by a widening 12 3/4 lengths, earning a career-best 111 Beyer in the eye-catching romp. The win made him 2-for-3 this year after a successful return from an over one-year long layoff in a one-mile March optional-claimer at Gulfstream Park.
The Florida-bred Arthur’s Ride, out of graded stakes winning Point Given mare Points of Grace, boasts a lifetime record of 6-3-2-0 with $214,955 in earnings.
Rousseau Racing’s Nic’s Style is an unbeaten 2-for-2, both coming in the care of conditioner Ralph Nicks at Gulfstream. The Florida-bred Uncaptured bay hasn’t been seen in the afternoon since a 10 1/4-length state-bred optional-claiming romp going 6 1/2 furlongs there in December, which came off a layoff since a 4 1/2-furlong debut win in May 2022.
“We are just bringing her back. She breezed with Arthur’s Ride and she breezed well,” said Mott. “She is 2-for-2 against restricted company, so we will see.”
Nic’s Style is out of the Street Sense mare Sense When, a half-sister to stakes-winner Holding Aces.
