‘TDN Rising Star’ Scylla Runs Up the Score at Churchill

8th-Churchill Downs, $129,430, Alw (NW1X), Opt. Clm ($100,000), 6-2, 3yo, f, 1m, 1:35.27, ft, 8 1/4 lengths.
SCYLLA (f, 3, Tapit–Close Hatches {Ch. Older Mare, MGISW, $2,707,300}, by First Defence) was pounded into 1-3 favoritism to build on a 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy display over six furlongs at Keeneland Apr. 15 and ran away from her dramatically overmatched rivals in the final stages of a one-mile Churchill allowance Friday to score with condescending ease to take a major step in the direction of stakes company. The bay filly settled between horses while racing in the second flight and had about five lengths to make up on the leaders as they raced into the turn. Perhaps a bit flat-footed at the midway point of that bend and pushed along slightly by Javier Castellano, Scylla began to find her best stride nearing the entrance to the stretch, angled out four or five wide, quickly opened daylight and was taken in hand by for the better part of the final 150 yards. Scylla is a full-sister to young Taylor Made stallion Tacitus, MGSW & MGISP, $2,267,350, and is out of the 2014 Eclipse Award-winning older mare, whose five Grade I successes included a spine-tingling defeat of Princess of Sylmar (Majestic Warrior)–with Beholder (Henny Hughes) fourth–in the GI Ogden Phipps S. during her championship season. Close Hatches's full-sister Lockdown won the 2017 Busanda S., was third in that year's GI Kentucky Oaks and GI Cotillion S. and is responsible for SW & GSP Idiomatic (Curlin), but unfortunately passed away in 2022. Scylla has a 2-year-old full-brother named Batten Down, a yearling half-sister by Constitution and an Uncle Mo half-sister that was foaled Mar. 16. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $129,535. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-William I Mott.

The beautifully bred #5 Scylla makes it two-for-two in R8 at Churchill Downs for trainer Bill Mott with @jjcjockey aboard!

This 3-year-old filly is the daughter of super sire Tapit and MG1W Close Hatches! A homebred for @JuddmonteFarms.

#TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/2QtpxwGV8b

— TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) June 2, 2023