Champion Filly Nitrogen Impresses in Season Opener

After racing well within herself through most of the $250,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) Feb. 7 at Oaklawn Park, Nitrogen put away game stablemate Nerazurri in the stretch and drew off to a 2 3/4-length win. With her talent shining early in the 1 1/16-mile race for older fillies and mares and her heart showing in the stretch, the Bayakoa looked like a season-opening race that Nitrogen—the reigning champion 3-year-old filly—can build on going forward. Nerazurri held second, well ahead of third-place Quietside, to secure her second graded stakes placing and secure the top two placings for trainer Mark Casse. "It's like you have both of your kids out there," Casse told Oaklawn media after watching his runners briefly battle in the stretch. "The other filly ran well too, but there's only one Nitrogen." Nitrogen, a 4-year-old daughter of Medaglia d'Oro, also took care of some business Saturday as she notched a win against older rivals for the first time. Not that the D. J. Stable homebred who also earned a Sovereign Award in 2024 as Canada's champion 2-year-old filly had performed poorly in such events: She closed out 2025 with runner-up finishes in the Spinster Stakes (G1) at Keeneland and the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) at Del Mar. On Saturday Nitrogen cruised in third for much of the race under Jose Ortiz, maintaining striking distance as longshot Rose Palace was tracked by Nerazurri through a half-mile in :48.33. Ortiz launched a three-wide move just into the far turn that would see Nitrogen engage Nerazurri for the lead before drawing off to the easy win. Nitrogen completed the 1 1/16-mile test in 1:43.53 on a fast track. She returned $2.60 as the big favorite. "She amazes me and makes me look good," said Casse, who said they'll next look at the March 7 Azeri Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn. "She breathes different air." Never off the board through 13 career starts, Nitrogen improves to 7-4-2 with earnings of more than $2.1 million. She started her career on turf, earning a pair of grade 1 placings on that surface at 2. Last year she captured three straight graded stakes on the green before shifting to dirt racing in the summer and autumn. Her clear victory over Good Cheer in last year's Alabama Stakes (G1) in August on the main track at Saratoga Race Course helped her nail down championship honors. Sandman unplaced in seasonal debut Things didn't go as well for Casse-trained Sandman in his 4-year-old debut. The winner of last year's Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn finished fifth in a tough allowance optional claiming race earlier on Saturday's card. Sandman, sent off at 3-5, tracked from third early under Ortiz but couldn't find room from the two path in early stretch and raced evenly to the wire in the 1 1/16-mile test won by San Siro, a 5-year-old Classic Empire gelding who rallied from last of six under Cristian Torres for trainer Brendan Walsh.