A Long Shot Steals the Spotlight! In the world of horse racing, sometimes the biggest surprises come from the least expected contenders. This was certainly the case at the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes at Turfway Park on February 21st, where all eyes were on the previous race's top finishers, Street Beast and Fulleffort. However, it was a horse that had only managed fifth place in their prior outing, a spirited gelding named Great White, who ultimately sank his teeth into the winner's circle and a significant portion of the $174,835 purse.
The Comeback Kid: In the earlier Leonatus Stakes on January 17th, Great White, a son of the stallion Volatile, had a rather challenging run. Starting from the innermost post position (post 1), his journey was far from smooth, and he ended up finishing fifth, a considerable 4 3/4 lengths behind the winner. But fast forward to the Battaglia, and everything changed! Breaking cleanly from post 8, jockey Alex Achard guided Great White with newfound confidence and aggression. "Last race, everything was against us," Achard shared. "Today, we just came back and knew we had to be more aggressive and closer. He put me right there and he did it in a good way."
A Strategic Masterclass: Achard masterfully positioned Great White in third place, allowing Street Beast and Attfield to set the pace through the early and middle stages of the race, with fractions of :23.88, :48.84, and 1:14.65. Then, with a perfectly timed move on the outside at the 5/16th pole, Great White launched his attack, seizing the lead and heading into the final stretch. Fulleffort, showing impressive late speed just as he had in the Leonatus, was closing in rapidly. However, it wasn't quite enough, as Great White held on by a neck, completing the 1 1/16-mile race in a swift 1:46.83.
From Auction to Stakes Winner: This impressive victory wasn't just a fluke. The large, gray or roan gelding was acquired for $55,000 from Taylor Made Sales Agency's consignment at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton December Digital Selected Sale by the esteemed Three Chimneys Farm. Trainer John Ennis had his eye on Great White at the sale, and a few weeks later, Three Chimneys approached him to join forces in a partnership. "I was privileged to even be asked by Three Chimneys to be involved with a horse of theirs," Ennis expressed.
The Trainer's Vision: Training Great White proved to be a bit of a puzzle for Ennis, who described the process as "taking one step back for every two steps forward." Despite these challenges, Great White debuted with a win at Turfway on December 12th. Heading into the Battaglia, Ennis felt there was still significant room for improvement. "I've always liked the horse, but I thought he was a little weak," Ennis admitted. "I spoke to Gonçalo (Torrealba, chairman of Three Chimneys) and the guys at Three Chimneys and said, 'Look, he's just not there yet. He'll be a nice horse in the summer, a proper horse in the summer, but he's just not there yet. But whatever he does today, he'll improve for the next day.’ I think every race you'll see a significant improvement with him."
A Derby Dream Blossoms: Foaled on May 14th, Great White appears to be developing ahead of schedule, which is ideal for his continued growth. This victory, which paid a generous $32.32 to win, also secured him 20 qualifying points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. The horses that followed him to the finish line – Fulleffort, Maximus Prime, Baytown Dreamer, and Steel Imperium – earned points on a 10-6-4-2 scale, respectively.
A Trainer's Second Chance? Ennis experienced the thrill of the Kentucky Derby in 2024 with Epic Ride, who finished second in the Battaglia but ultimately placed 14th at Churchill Downs after getting into the race from the also-eligible list. "This doesn't happen to somebody like me. It's crazy just be in the picture now," Ennis remarked about the possibility of having another Derby contender.
Beyond the Sprint Sire: While Great White's sire, Volatile, was a Grade 1-winning sprinter, Ennis is confident that Great White possesses the stamina for longer distances. "There's so much more improvement in this horse," Ennis stated. "He's obviously by Volatile, who was a quick horse, but (Great White) gets the two turns so well. I don't think distance is going to be a problem with him."
But here's where it gets controversial... Some might point to the diminishing margin of victory as a sign of his limitations beyond 1 1/16 miles. However, both Ennis and Achard believe this was partly due to Great White taking the lead early and then seemingly waiting for competition. "I took the lead pretty early and I was kind of by myself for a bit," Achard explained. "So he was getting tired and was waiting as well for the other. ... He's going to get better and better. He's massive. Physically, he's going to change a lot, and mentally as well."
What's Next for Great White? Ennis indicated that Great White would benefit from more time between races. While he hasn't committed to the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway in four weeks, he expects Great White's final Derby prep to be in Kentucky. An alternative is the April 4 Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland, which would be Great White's first start on dirt. "I think the bigger the track, like Keeneland, he could be even better on it," Ennis suggested. "He works phenomenal (on dirt) on the Thoroughbred Training Center in Lexington, and that's a deep track."
Bred in Kentucky by Stud TNT, Great White is out of the Uncle Mo mare Kelly Bag. Volatile is scheduled to stand the 2026 season at Three Chimneys Farm for a fee of $10,000.
What do you think? Does Great White have the grit and stamina to go all the way to the Kentucky Derby, or will his sprinter lineage prove to be a limiting factor? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
