Stronghold Ends Churchill September Meet on High Note

This column highlights the performances of maidens who have made no more than five starts and who either sold for more than $500,000 at public auction, have siblings that are grade/group winners, or have dams that are grade/group winners. BloodHorse research shows maiden winners, in particular, who meet these criteria are more likely to go on to be graded stakes winners.

Small-scale California breeders Eric and Sharon Waller tasted graded stakes success for the first time with their homebred Jimmy Creed  filly Spectator in the 2017 Sorrento Stakes (G2) at Del Mar. Spectator went onto place in two grade 1s and retired in 2019 with $323,551 in earnings. Now, six years after that memorable graded victory, her first foal, Stronghold, showed the makings of something special breaking his maiden Oct. 1 at Churchill Downs under the Waller's silks.

A son of Hall of Famer Ghostzapper, Stronghold joined trainer Phil D'Amato's Louisville string earlier this summer. The big bay made his first start at Ellis Park at the end of August, and unlike his mother, who aced her debut sprinting around one turn, Stronghold could only manage second going six furlongs. However, it was a solid runner-up effort, and the horse who beat him, $600,000 purchase and fellow Maiden Watch graduate Awesome Road, resurfaces in the $600,000 Breeders' Futurity (G1) this weekend at Keeneland.

Stronghold appeared to thrive after his debut, scorching two five-furlong works at Churchill, including a bullet :59 3/5 move Sept. 18.

Sent off as the favorite in a field of nine 2-year-old males traveling one mile, Stronghold turned in a professional performance over the track he'd been training on since June. Under a confident ride from jockey Joe Talamo, Stronghold stalked the pacesetters three wide down the backstretch early, thwarted the leader's advantage at the quarter pole, and surged clear of that rival in the final furlong.

#5 STRONGHOLD ($3.10) gained command in the final furlong and kicked away to graduate at second asking in the 7th at Churchill Downs.

The Sharon and Rick Waller homebred was piloted by @JoeTalamo for trainer @PhilDamato11. pic.twitter.com/1xuChFRVl0

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) October 1, 2023

Closing his final eighth in :12.54, Stronghold completed the mile in a noteworthy 1:35.99. The time was three-fifths of a second faster than 2-year-olds ran the same distance under similar conditions earlier on the closing day card.