After racing properly inside herself by a lot of the $250,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) Feb. 7 at Oaklawn Park, Nitrogen put away sport stablemate Nerazurri within the stretch and drew off to a 2 3/4-length win.
Together with her expertise shining early within the 1 1/16-mile race for older fillies and mares and her coronary heart displaying within the stretch, the Bayakoa appeared like a season-opening race that Nitrogen—the reigning champion 3-year-old filly—can construct on going ahead.Nitrogen, b, 4/f
Medaglia d’Oro — Tiffany Case, by Uncle Mo
Proprietor: DJ Steady LLC (Jonathan & Leonard Inexperienced)
Breeder: D. J. Steady, LLC (KY)
Coach: Mark E. Casse
Jockey: Jose L. Ortiz
Data offered by Equibase at time of entry.
Nerazurri held second, properly forward of third-place Quietside , to safe her second graded stakes putting and safe the highest two placings for coach Mark Casse.
“It is like you could have each of your children on the market,” Casse informed Oaklawn media after watching his runners briefly battle within the stretch. “The opposite filly ran properly too, however there’s just one Nitrogen.”
Nitrogen, a 4-year-old daughter of Medaglia d’Oro , additionally took care of some enterprise Saturday as she notched a win towards older rivals for the primary time. Not that the D. J. Steady homebred who additionally earned a Sovereign Award in 2024 as Canada’s champion 2-year-old filly had carried out poorly in such occasions: She closed out 2025 with runner-up finishes within the Spinster Stakes (G1) at Keeneland and the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) at Del Mar.Join BloodHorse Each day
On Saturday Nitrogen cruised in third for a lot of the race beneath Jose Ortiz, sustaining hanging distance as longshot Rose Palace was tracked by Nerazurri by a half-mile in :48.33. Ortiz launched a three-wide transfer simply into the far flip that will see Nitrogen interact Nerazurri for the lead earlier than drawing off to the straightforward win.
Nitrogen accomplished the 1 1/16-mile take a look at in 1:43.53 on a quick monitor. She returned $2.60 as the large favourite.
“She amazes me and makes me look good,” mentioned Casse, who mentioned they’re going to subsequent have a look at the March 7 Azeri Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn. “She breathes completely different air.”
By no means off the board by 13 profession begins, Nitrogen improves to 7-4-2 with earnings of greater than $2.1 million. She began her profession on turf, incomes a pair of grade 1 placings on that floor at 2. Final yr she captured three straight graded stakes on the inexperienced earlier than shifting to grime racing in the summertime and autumn. Her clear victory over Good Cheer in final yr’s Alabama Stakes (G1) in August on the principle monitor at Saratoga Race Course helped her nail down championship honors.
Video: Bayakoa S. (G3)
Sandman unplaced in seasonal debut
Issues did not go as properly for Casse-trained Sandman in his 4-year-old debut. The winner of final yr’s Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn completed fifth in a troublesome allowance non-obligatory claiming race earlier on Saturday’s card.
Sandman, despatched off at 3-5, tracked from third early beneath Ortiz however could not discover room from the 2 path in early stretch and raced evenly to the wire within the 1 1/16-mile take a look at received by San Siro , a 5-year-old Traditional Empire gelding who rallied from final of six beneath Cristian Torres for coach Brendan Walsh.
