Nitrogen posts final breeze for G1 Whitney

• Nitrogen posts final breeze for G1 Whitney
• Kinnon LaRose, protégé of Tom Amoss, looks to continue early success with 2-year-olds in Sunday’s G3 Adirondack
• Where Luck Lives points to G1 Test presented by Ticketmaster
• Iron Orchard returns to state-bred company in $200K Johnstone
• Listed Bolton Landing the main objective for Side Quest
• Trio of promising juveniles debut Saturday at Saratoga for Cox

D.J. Stable’s Kentucky homebred Nitrogen worked a half-mile in 49.01 seconds Friday over the Saratoga Race Course main track in preparation for her start against males in the local Grade 1, $1 million Whitney on August 8.

Trained by dual Hall of Famer Mark Casse, the 4-year-old Medaglia d’Oro filly is slated to take on a formidable field in the nine-furlong route for older horses with the likes of Antiquarian, Baeza, Magnitude, Phileas Fogg, Sovereignty, and White Abarrio expected to compete in 99th renewal of the Whitney which offers a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic in October at Keeneland.

Nitrogen worked solo Friday under exercise rider Edwin Soto in her fifth work back since a 12 3/4-length romp in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps presented by Ford on June 5 here.

“She went great. The track was beautiful. It looked great. She floated over it. All systems are ‘go,’” Casse said.

Nitrogen will look to become the seventh filly to win the Whitney following Black Maria [1928], Bateau [1929], Esposa [1937], Gallorette [1948], Lady's Secret [1986] and Personal Ensign [1988].

Nitrogen finished second by a neck on debut in August 2024 at Woodbine in her lone previous start versus males but has gone on to post a remarkable 16-8-5-3 ledger for purse earnings in excess of $2.7 million, including seven graded stakes wins. She earned Sovereign Award honors as Champion 2-Year-Old Filly in Canada in 2024 and last year took home the Eclipse Award as Champion 3-Year-Old Filly.

The versatile Nitrogen is a graded winner on turf and dirt and sports a perfect 3-for-3 ledger over the Spa main track, including additional wins last year in the off-the-turf Grade 3 Wonder Again and Grade 1 Alabama presented by Keeneland Sales.

Nitrogen, a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-placed Love to Shop, is out of the stakes-placed Uncle Mo mare Tiffany Case, who sold for $3.2 million at the 2026 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages sale and is a half-sister to graded stakes-winner Talk Veuve to Me. 

Casse will also look to have a filly turn the tables on the boys next weekend when Grade 1-winner Classic Q attempts to follow in the footsteps of Got Stormy and win the Grade 1, $750,000 Fourstardave on the Whitney undercard, a “Win and You’re In” for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile. Got Stormy accomplished the feat in 2019 and 2021 for Casse.

Casse indicated Friday that Classic Q’s July 26 breeze in 59.80 over the Oklahoma training turf was her final one in preparation for the Fourstardave.

“She is finished [breezing]. We can’t slow her down. She doesn’t know what ‘slow’ is,” Casse said, with a laugh.

Campaigned by Gary Barber, Blue Crevalle Racing and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, the 4-year-old Classic Empire gray will enter the Fourstardave off back-to-back wins in the Grade 2 Churchill Distaff Mile on May 2 and the Grade 1 Just a Game presented by Resolute Racing on June 6 here. 

Classic Q has banked in excess of $1.3 million through a 15-5-3-1 ledger. Bred in Kentucky by Winning Bloodstock, Classic Q is out of the winning Scat Daddy mare Lovely Em, who also produced the stakes-placed Copper Em.

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Kinnon LaRose, protégé of Tom Amoss, looks to continue early success with 2-year-olds in Sunday’s G3 Adirondack

Trainer Kinnon LaRose, winner of a pair of maiden special weight events for 2-year-olds earlier this month at Saratoga Race Course, will attempt to win his first graded stakes when he sends out Stress Relief in Sunday’s Grade 3, $225,000 Adirondack, a 6 1/2-furlong event for juvenile fillies.

LaRose, 28, took out his trainer’s license earlier this year but is no stranger to Saratoga Race Course, having attended the races here while growing up in Ogdensburg, N.Y. He played collegiate basketball, playing one season for Siena College before transferring to Sacred Heart University. The shooting guard graduated from Sacred Heart with a bachelor’s degree in sports management and a master’s degree in strategic communication.

“My parents used to take me here every summer with my three brothers,” said LaRose. “We loved coming down here as kids, and I fell in love with it from that perspective. I thought it was the best. You fall in love with the history of this place, not just the racetrack but with the town itself. We spent a lot of time here in the summer but in the wintertime, too. We traveled down here for basketball and things like that, and we have been coming here ever since.”

After earning his degrees and exhausting his collegiate athletics eligibility, LaRose was seeking a career that would give him a new competitive outlet, and on a whim he emailed trainer and Saratoga Live analyst Tom Amoss, who offered him a job with his racing stable.

“I got lucky that Tom answered me,” said LaRose. “I sent him a cold email, not thinking he would answer me.”

LaRose initially mucked stalls and walked hots before he gained more responsibilities, eventually becoming an assistant and then the heir apparent to Amoss’ operation when the trainer began thinking about stepping aside to focus on his television role. LaRose fully took over April 1, and through July 30 he has won 17 races from 93 starters.

“Tom had mentioned things to me in years past, but nothing in depth,” said LaRose of Amoss’ succession plans. “This winter at the Fair Grounds he started talking to me in January or so about having a plan about what was going to happen. Everybody was on the same page, and it’s been a good transition so far. Tom has been super good to me. It’s been a big learning curve, certainly for the both of us, but we’re just trying to do it together and make sure our i’s are dotted and our t’s are crossed. I talk to him daily about the horses, about our help, and our owners as well. I’m trying to keep things the same. I’m certainly learning from him. I’m bouncing ideas off him and vice versa. It gives you a lot of confidence having somebody like that in your corner.”

Two of LaRose’s wins have come here at Saratoga. On July 11, he sent out Double Down Horse Racing’s Midnight Still to a 6 1/4-length maiden win in a 5 1/2-furlong event for 2-year-olds. Two weeks later, Intraosseous, who is owned by the orthopedic surgeon Dr. Joel Politi and is named for medical technique of delivering fluids, medications, or blood products directly into the bone marrow, graduated by 2 3/4 lengths in a six-furlong race for 2-year-old fillies. Both runners had finished third on debut in June at Churchill Downs. Midnight Still is being pointed toward the Grade 1, $300,000 Spendthrift Farm Hopeful at seven furlongs on September 6, while plans have yet to be determined for Intraosseous, LaRose said.

“They prepped well in Kentucky and shipped here in good shape,” added LaRose. “That race experience is a key for 2-year-olds. A 2-year-old first-time starter can be good and can be very talented, but for 2-year-olds to have a race under their belt, I think that’s the main key. It’s good for them going forward.”

One of LaRose’s pupils who was ready at first asking was Dr. Politi’s Stress Relief, who enters the Adirondack off a five-length debut score on June 20 at Churchill Downs.

“Her performance that day at Churchill was pretty eye opening,” said LaRose. “She ran a very solid race in a good time. She came out of it well shipped up here well. She has three solid works here. Any graded stakes at Saratoga certainly is tough, but we like her and how she has prepared.”

LaRose, who has won two stakes at Lone Star Park with the 4-year-old Texas-bred filly Modo, found parallels between competing as an athlete himself and training thoroughbreds.

“You try to control what you can control,” said LaRose. “When I was playing, it was the same sort of deal. It certainly wasn’t perfect by any means, but that competitive drive never leaves you. You fall in love with these horses, you fall in love with the preparation leading up to race day. Of course, everybody sees race day as the focus, but I think it’s that daily grind of getting here and learning your horses and what they like and what they don’t like and finding good spots for them. Seeing it all come to fruition on race day gives you a good feeling.”

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Where Luck Lives points to G1 Test presented by Ticketmaster

Flying Dutchmen Breeding and Racing’s Where Luck Lives is pointed to the Grade 1, $500,000 Test presented by Ticketmaster on August 8, a seven-furlong sprint for sophomore fillies, at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Brian Lynch, the Nyquist bay, out of the Grade 1-placed Harlan’s Holiday mare Holiday Soiree, is a half-sister to Grade 1-winning multimillionaire Vahva.

Where Luck Lives has posted a pair of gate-to-wire sprint wins this year in Kentucky, besting likely returning rival Movie Night over sloppy and sealed footing in April at Keeneland to graduate at second asking while earning an 86 Beyer Speed Figure. Last out, she romped by 5 1/4-lengths over a fast main track, covering six furlongs in 1:10.03 to register an 87 Beyer in an optional-claimer on May 28 at Churchill Downs.

“Her last two have been very solid, so she'll get the acid test, and we'll see if she's good enough to compete with those type of fillies,” Lynch said.

The $725,000 purchase from the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale will work this weekend at Churchill in her final prep for the Test.

Lynch noted that graded stakes-winner Storm’s Wake, a last-out fourth in the nine-furlong Grade 1 Belmont Oaks on July 4 here, will bypass next weekend’s 1 3/16-mile Grade 2, $500,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Oaks.

“We’re freshening her up and pointing to Kentucky Downs,” Lynch said. “The Belmont Oaks was a funny run race. They went quick, they went slow and I'm not sure what to make of it. Maybe she doesn't want to run that far. We might look at one of the mile races. It plays a little bit longer at Kentucky Downs and might suit her a little better.”

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Iron Orchard returns to state-bred company in $200K Johnstone

KatieRich Stables’ Grade 1-winner Iron Orchard returns to state-bred company for Wednesday’s $200,000 Johnstone, a seven-furlong sprint for New York-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the Authentic dark bay set the pace last out in the 6 1/2-furlong Grade 3 Victory Ride on July 10 here and was pressed by Mythical through the half-mile in 45.79 seconds before fading to 9th-of-10.

“That was on a slow, pretty heavy racetrack for how she ran,” Asmussen said.

Iron Orchard was coming off a layoff dating to an off-the-board result in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies on October 31 at Del Mar. That effort was one of four starts for trainer Danny Gargan, including a nose score in the one-turn mile Grade 1 Frizette earlier that month at Belmont at the Big A and the six-furlong state-bred Seeking the Ante in August at Saratoga.

“Hopefully, this is the right spot to get her back on track,” Asmussen said.

After the Frizette, Iron Orchard was purchased for $2.5 million by KatieRich Stables at the Fasig-Tipton Mid-October Digital Sale ahead of the Breeders’ Cup. She was subsequently transferred to Asmussen for her sophomore campaign.

“Need her to win, is what we need her to do,” Asmussen said. “We are taking advantage of her being a New York-bred. She has to face older mares, but she is obviously physically capable. I expect her to do well.”

Bred by Pine Ridge Stable, Iron Orchard, the reigning NYTB Champion 2-Year-Old Filly, is out of the dual stakes-placed Brethren mare Onebrethatatime, a half-sister to Grade 3-winner Wonderlandbynight.

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Listed Bolton Landing the main objective for Side Quest

One week after dazzling in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden auction turf sprint, Side Quest is now on her way to stakes company after trainer Will Walden pinned down the Listed Bolton Landing on August 26 here as the next spot for the juvenile daughter of Charlatan.

“We’re pointing there, and we’ll see how she continues to train, but that’s the plan,” Walden said.

Side Quest made her turf debut in her second lifetime outing on July 23, and utilized a stalking trip under Irad Ortiz, Jr. She swept up with a three-wide move into the turn and took command with ease, holding a two-length advantage at the stretch call and powering home a 5 3/4-length winner in a final time of 1:02.33. The effort was awarded an 86 Beyer Speed Figure.

The strong performance turned heads on a warm July afternoon, and she will enter the 5 1/2-furlong Bolton Landing with a few new names to her ownership alongside J.E. Stephen Horn.  

“We brought on two new owners in Bill Strauss and Madaket and we’re excited to have them as part of the team now,” Walden said. “We’ve had horses for Madaket in the past and it should be fun rest of the year with her.”

A $65,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale, Side Quest is out of the turf sprint stakes-winning The Factor mare Factorofwon, making her a half-sister to Grade 3-placed Light Won Up.

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Trio of promising juveniles debut Saturday at Saratoga for Cox

A group of three well-meant juveniles will make their career bows on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course for dual-Eclipse Award-winning conditioner Brad Cox, with Lot of Loon, Cybersteel and Wyna each looking to make a good first impression from post 6 in their respective races under Irad Ortiz, Jr.

First up on the afternoon will be the New York-bred Lot of Loon, who contests Race 2, a six-furlong main track sprint for state-bred juvenile fillies.

Campaigned by Michael Dubb and The Elkstone Group, the daughter of former Cox pupil Mandaloun was a $225,000 purchase at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Yearling Sale and is out of the winning Central Banker mare Lot of Honey, a full-sister to Grade 3-placed multiple stakes-winner Bank Sting. She was bred by McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds.

Lot of Loon has made her recent preparations at Belmont Park under the watchful eye of assistant trainer Dustin Dugas, including a half-mile breeze in 49 flat on July 25.

“She’s trained well, and we think she’ll go further, but she’s gotten herself ready downstate at Belmont and she’s ready for a race,” Cox said.

Lot of Loon will emerge from post 6-of-9 and has been given a morning line assessment of 5-1.

Another progeny of a former Cox stable star is Cybersteel, sired by Cyberknife. Campaigned by Tagermeen Racing, the bay colt is slated to debut in Race 4, a six-furlong juvenile maiden sprint. The $325,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase is out of the winning Bernardini mare Touchy Feely, who also produced juvenile Grade 2-winner Life Talk.

Cybersteel ships in from Ellis Park, where he has worked steadily in recent weeks, including a half-mile move from the gate in 48.20 on July 23.

“I like him and he’s quick,” Cox said. “I do think he’ll stretch a bit, but he’s quick enough to think he’ll be competitive going three-quarters. I like what we’ve seen from him so far.”

Cybersteel also exits post 6-of-9 and has been tabbed at 4-1 on the morning line, the second choice behind $1.5 million yearling purchase Dream More [3-1ML] for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

Completing the Cox/Ortiz, Jr. triad is Stonestreet Stables’ Wyna, a daughter of Complexity that has been made the 4-1 favorite in the 10-horse field entered for Race 5, a six-furlong maiden sprint for juvenile fillies.

Purchased for $280,000 at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, Wyna is out of the winning Mineshaft mare Pinchbeck, a half-sister to multiple stakes-placed Castellani and stakes-placed Sir London. She spent most of the early summer at Keeneland, and shipped up to Saratoga to post one work over the main track, covering a half-mile in 49 flat on July 25.

“She seems quick, and she’s another one I think will want more ground,” Cox said. “She’s a really good-looking filly, scopey. She’s gotten herself ready and had some very good works at Keeneland and she’s ready to make a start.”