Although she had never been worse than second in her career, questions swirled around Immersive entering Saturday’s Seneca Overnight at Churchill Downs. Her trainer, Brad Cox, said earlier in the week that her connections had to learn if Immersive was still “wanting to be a racehorse at the top level.”
Immersive began to answer at least some of those questions with a two-length victory in the Seneca. The filly was allowed to set a moderate pace, and responded when set down to duel with eventual runner-up Ivory and Ebony, who floated her wide in the lane. She earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 90 for her victory – a career-best number.
A Godolphin homebred, Immersive earned an Eclipse Award last year by winning all four of her starts, including three Grade 1s, highlighted by the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Bone bruising kept her from targeting the major spring races this year.
In her return, she finished second by a neck in the Monomoy Girl in June at Churchill, a race Cox felt she needed. Off that effort, however, Immersive was beaten 15 1/2 lengths by Scottish Lassie in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks in July at Saratoga.
Cox returned Immersive to her Churchill base after that race, rather than pushing ahead in divisional events at Saratoga, and she trained steadily for the rest of the summer. The trainer credited the Godolphin team for its patience in bringing the filly back.
“With all she had accomplished as a 2-year-old, there’s a lot of weight on you moving forward,” Cox said.
Immersive will take a step up in class in her next outing, in a race yet to be determined.
“She was able to put it all together,” Cox said. “Now, we need to get back into graded stakes company, and I think we saw enough to march forward with her.”
Immersive now has a 5-2-0 record from seven starts and earnings of more than $1.8 million.
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