Entering the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes at Turfway Park Feb. 21, the bettors were keyed in on the 1-2 finishers of the Leonatus Stakes, Street Beast and Fulleffort. However, it was that local prep's fifth-place finisher, Great White, who would take the largest bite out of Saturday's $174,835 purse.
In that Jan. 17 Leonatus, the son of Volatile had drawn the rail and encountered a rough trip but still managed to finish fifth, beaten 4 3/4 lengths. Out clean while breaking from post 8 this time, jockey Alex Achard got Great White swimming into contention early.
"Last race, everything was against us," Achard said. "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."
Achard stalked third as Street Beast and Attfield battled through fractions of :23.88, :48.84, and 1:14.65. Poised on the outside, Great White ambushed at the 5/16th pole and took the lead into the stretch. Fulleffort, as he did in the Leonatus, was gobbling up ground late, but fell a neck short as Great White completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.83.
The large gray or roan gelding was purchased for $55,000 out of Taylor Made Sales Agency's consignment at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton December Digital Selected Sale by Three Chimneys Farm. Trainer John Ennis had shown interest in the youngster at the sale, and a few weeks later was approached by Three Chimneys to join them in a partnership.
"I was privileged to even be asked by Three Chimneys to be involved with a horse of theirs," Ennis said.
However, Great White proved perplexing to train, Ennis describing it as taking one step back for every two steps forward. Finally getting him to the races with a debut victory at Turfway Dec. 12, Ennis still entered the Battaglia thinking there was room to improve.
"I've always liked the horse, but I thought he was a little weak," Ennis said. "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."
The May 14 foal seems to be ahead of his true potential, which is perfect timing to have him growing into it. Saturday's victory, for which he paid $32.32, also earned him 20 qualifying points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. The remainder of the top five finishers—Fulleffort, Maximus Prime, Baytown Dreamer, and Steel Imperium—earned points on a 10-6-4-2 scale.
Ennis had his first taste of the Kentucky Derby (G1) in 2024 with Epic Ride, who had finished second in that year's Battaglia and finished 14th at Churchill Downs after drawing in off the also-eligible list.
"This doesn't happen to somebody like me. It's crazy just be in the picture now," Ennis said of a potential second Derby runner.
Epic Ride would prove to be more of a turf miler than a classic-distance dirt horse, winning the Mint Millions Invitational Stakes (G3T) at Kentucky Downs last summer. Great White's sire, Three Chimneys stallion Volatile, was a grade 1-winning sprinter. However, Ennis believes this gelding will be able to get the added distance.
"There's so much more improvement in this horse," Ennis said. "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."
The diminishing margin of victory may leave some doubters of his ability beyond 1 1/16 miles, but both Ennis and Achard believed it was partially do to him reaching the lead so early and waiting on competition.
"I took the lead pretty early and I was kind of by myself for a bit," Achard said. "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."
Ennis did say he believes the horse will improve with more spacing between races. Ennis did not commit to returning to Turfway for the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) in four weeks March 21, but said the colt will most likely make his final Derby prep in Kentucky. The other option would come six weeks from now in 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 said. "He works phenomenal (on dirt) on the Thoroughbred Training Center in Lexington, and that's a deep track."
Out of the Uncle Mo mare Kelly Bag, Great White was bred in Kentucky by Stud TNT. Volatile stands the 2026 season at Three Chimneys Farm for $10,000.
