Close Hatches Clearly Best in Cotillion
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Close Hatches pulls away to win the 2013 Cotillion Stakes on Saturday at Parx Racing. (Photo courtesy of Barbara Weidl/EQUI-PHOTO)
Close Hatches dominated the opposition in the $1 million Cotillion Stakes on Saturday at Parx Racing to earn her second straight Grade 1 win.
Owned and bred by Juddmonte Farms, Close Hatches put away previously unbeaten Sweet Lulu early in the stretch and pulled away to win by two lengths.
The First Defence filly improved to five wins in seven career starts, all this year, and more than doubled her career earnings to $1,007,300 with the $556,000 winner’s share of the Cotillion purse.
Close Hatches entered the Cotillion off a 7 ¼-length romp in the Grade 1 Mother Goose Stakes on June 22 at Belmont Park for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. The Cotillion was her third graded stakes win of the year.
Sweet Lulu was passed by both Close Hatches and My Happy Face in the stretch but fought on gamely to take second. Street Girl rallied from last to pass My Happy Face for third.