Mark Casse’s excellent winter training sophomore turf horses in Florida looks like it will extend to spring in Kentucky.
Over the last three months at Tampa Bay Downs and Gulfstream Park, Casse won five grass-route stakes with 3-year-olds, four courtesy of the fillies Nitrogen and Vixen. Casse kept that pair separated in Florida, but both start Tuesday at Keeneland in the Grade 2, $500,000 Appalachian Stakes.
The track’s morning line pegs Vixen as the 3-1 second choice under Irad Ortiz, with Nitrogen set as the 2-1 favorite in a field of 10. Drawn on the rail under Jose Ortiz in this one-mile contest, Nitrogen could wind up a shorter favorite than that.
Nitrogen, by Medaglia d’Oro, cleared the maiden ranks Jan. 4 in the Ginger Brew Stakes at Gulfstream. With a different trip, she might have won her first race in Grade 1 company last year. She finished third in the Natalma at Woodbine, beaten less than one length after leading, and Nitrogen clearly runs best making a run from off the pace. In the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, Jose Ortiz tried to follow eventual winner Lake Victoria into the far turn, lost position, got stuck in traffic, and couldn’t find a hole in a 14-runner field until Nitrogen had turned for home. Finally clear, the filly finished with a flourish, going from 11th at the stretch call to third at the wire.
It’s been more of the same in Florida. In the Ginger Brew, Nitrogen had five rivals ahead of her at the stretch call and won by a half-length. In the Grade 3 Florida Oaks, the good filly Lush Lips – another Appalachian entrant – made a comfortable lead and maintained her pace through the homestretch. Nitrogen set out after her, wandered briefly past the furlong grounds, straightened up, and rapidly ran down the leader.
“She’s a big, powerful filly,” said Casse, who trains Nitrogen for D. J. Stable. “In the Ginger Brew, it looks like there’s no way she gets up. And turning for home at Tampa, I didn’t think we were going to get there, either.”
When she makes her move, Nitrogen takes a touch longer to hit top closing speed than the very best milers, and Casse believes she will excel at longer distances. He’d also welcome the prospect of a wet turf course Tuesday.
“Maybe a little give in the ground slows up some of the pace,” he said.
Nitrogen won’t run if the Appalachian rains off onto dirt, but Vixen, who has worked decently on dirt, could start on either surface. A wide post to some extent compromised Vixen’s chances when she finished sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, but even in winning the Sweetest Chant and the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride at Gulfstream, she lacked Nitrogen’s flash. Casse did say that jockey John Velazquez told him that Vixen, a Vekoma filly owned by D. J. Stable and Eclipse Thoroughbreds, “maybe was a little flat in the Herecomesthebride.”
Lush Lips, imported from Ireland, had won two in a row before a smart stakes debut in the Florida Oaks. Trained by Brendan Walsh, the filly prefers a forward placement and will find more pace pressure in the Appalachian than at Tampa.
The more speed the better for Fionn, who has won three turf routes in a row, culminating in the Allen “Black Cat” Lacombe during the Fair Grounds meet.
“She has no early speed,” trainer Brad Cox said. “I like her if she gets a setup.”
Totally Justified lost the Jessamine Stakes over the Keeneland course last fall by a nose. The official chart comments from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf somewhat overstate the trouble she encountered finishing eighth there. Trainer Rusty Arnold adds blinkers for the filly’s first start since the Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Liam in the Dust was entered for dirt, trainer Rodolphe Brisset said.
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