Close Hatches

Close Hatches
Close Hatches in the walking ring for the 2014 Ogden Phipps
Sire	First Defence
Grandsire	Unbridled's Song
Dam	Rising Tornado
Damsire	Storm Cat
Sex	Mare
Foaled	31 January 2010
Country	United States
Colour	Dark Bay or Brown
Breeder	Millsec Limited
Owner	Juddmonte Farms
Trainer	Bill Mott
Record	13: 9-2-0
Earnings	$2,707,300
Major wins
Gazelle Stakes (2013) Mother Goose Stakes (2013) Cotillion Handicap (2013) Azeri Stakes (2014) Apple Blossom Handicap (2014) Ogden Phipps Handicap (2014) Personal Ensign Stakes (2014)
Awards
American Champion Older Female Horse (2014)

Close Hatches (foaled January 31, 2010) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Unraced as a two-year-old she emerged as one of the leading fillies of her generation in the United States in 2013 when she won five of her eight races including the Gazelle Stakes, Mother Goose Stakes and Cotillion Handicap. In the following year she won the GradeII Azeri Stakes before recording successive Grade I victories in the Apple Blossom Handicap, Ogden Phipps Handicap and Personal Ensign Stakes.

Close Hatches is a dark bay or brown filly bred in Kentucky by Millsec Limited, a horse breeding company registered at Khalid Abdullah's Banstead Manor Stud in Newmarket, Suffolk. She races in the colours of Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farm organisation, as did both of her parents. She is from the first crop of foals sired by First Defence who won the Grade I Forego Stakes in 2008 and is the first foal of her dam Rising Tornado, who failed to win in three minor races in France. Rising Tornado's dam Silver Star was a full-sister to Xaar the leading European two-year-old of 1997, and as a descendant of the broodmare Best In Show, was related to numerous major winners including El Gran Senor and Rags to Riches. Close Hatches has been trained throughout her racing career by Bill Mott. She has been ridden in all but one of her races by the Dominican jockey Joel Rosario.