All the buzz was on the highly-anticipated debut of the Flightline colt Greenwell, but it was Balloteer (Early Voting) who sped to the lead and never looked back to earn 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' honors at Churchill.Catching a flier out of the gate, the juvenile sped out to control the tempo through :22.43 and four panels in :45.06 coming off the bend, and entered the stretch with a clear advantage over even-money favorite Greenwell. Racing greenly on his left lead through the lane, Balloteer managed to keep all challengers at bay by two lengths on the line in a final time of :57 flat. Greenwell was a well-beaten second after inexperience also caught up with him.Balloteer is a half-brother to Quick Release (Trappe Shot), GSP, $199,677, who has since gone on to become a multiple winner producer in her second career as a broodmare. The victor also claims six other winning half-siblings, and is the last registered offspring for Just Joking after she missed a 2025 breeding and her 2026 Taiba was stillborn.This is the female line of champion sprinter Safely Kept, whose daughters went on to create a branch of her family which yielded the likes of MGSW & GISP Venetian Harbor (Munnings). It is also the distant female family of GSW & GISP Santiva.Early Voting has had a sensational start to his stallion career as Balloteer becomes his third 'Rising Star' and fourth winner from six starters. The GI Preakness Stakes hero is represented by his first juveniles this year.5th-Churchill Downs, $118,686, Msw, 6-12, 2yo, 5f, :57.00, ft, 2 lengths.BALLOTEER, c, 2, by Early Voting 1st Dam: Just Joking, by Distorted Humor 2nd Dam: Contrast, by Unbridled 3rd Dam: Safely Kept, by HoratiusSales history: $170,000 Ylg '25 FTKJUL; $475,000 2yo '26 OBSMAR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $68,496. O-Doubledown Stables, Inc.; B-Jory Sherman & Don Blowe (KY); T-James P. DiVito.Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. First FLIGHTLINE to debut: a very green GREENWELL (2yoF) make her debut today in Race 5 at Churchill Downs, finishing 2nd behind BALLOTEER, a daughter of Early Voting that went gate-to-wire to break her maiden in her first run, ridden by Luis Sáez for trainer James Divito. A very… pic.twitter.com/2AJzwkLeAL— Agentes305 (@agentes305) June 12, 2026The post Early Voting’s Balloteer Goes Gate to Wire for ‘Rising Star’ Honors at Churchill appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.