Nitrogen holds Good Cheer safe, makes case for divisional supremacy in Alabama

D J Stable’s homebred Nitrogen overtook pacesetter and stablemate La Cara nearing the completion of the far turn and withstood the late run of 7-5 favorite Good Cheer to win Saturday’s 145th running of the $600,000 Alabama (G1) at Saratoga. Jose Ortiz was up on the classy daughter of Medaglia d’Oro for Mark Casse.

"I've been coming here since I was 10 years old, and the Alabama has always been huge,” American and Canadian Hall of Famer Casse said. “I can't even explain it. This is all I've ever wanted to do since I was a little boy." 

Nitrogen shook up the hierarchy in the three-year-old filly division, transferring her stellar turf form to dirt in the prestigious 1 1/4-mile event, and recorded her sixth stakes win, all coming in 2025. After finishing third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1), Nitrogen opened the year with consecutive victories in the Ginger Brew S., Florida Oaks (G3), Appalachian (G2), and Edgewood (G2) on turf. She rolled to a 17-length triumph in the off-the-turf Wonder Again (G3) on Belmont (G1) weekend at Saratoga in early June.

Her win streak came to an end with a nose second in the Belmont Oaks (G1) on turf in early July, but Nitrogen rebounded stylishly despite drifting in and out during the stretch run of the Alabama, scoring by 1 1/2 lengths. She left the starting gate as the 2-1 second choice and stopped the teletimer in 2:03.31.

“They went pretty slow early, which I thought would help La Cara, but Dylan (Davis) said Jose was breathing down his throat the entire time,” Casse said. “I could see in her (Nitrogen's) training, if she's by herself, she won't do anything. She started wandering a little (late), but I'm proud of her." 

Nitrogen didn’t break cleanly and was guided wide into the first turn as stablemate and multiple Grade 1 winner La Cara established frontrunning duties, establishing moderate opening splits in :24.94, :49.70, and 1:13.24 on a short lead while being tracked in second by Nitrogen. Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Good Cheer stalked a couple more lengths back in third.

“Obviously, being from the same barn, I don’t want to apply heavy early pressure on (La Cara), but I want to keep (Nitrogen) outside, and that’s what I did,” Ortiz said. “I kept her outside every step of the way; I wasn’t further than a length away. I knew she had a shot, but I also had to worry about Good Cheer.”

Cornering wide off the far turn, Nitrogen struck the front and opened a commanding advantage in upper stretch. Good Cheer tried to reel in the leader while diminishing the advantage in midstretch, but Nitrogen held her rival clear while weaving in and out in the final furlong.

“The main thing for me was getting to the backside and getting her to relax,” Ortiz said. “She took a big deep breath right about the six furlongs, and I was very happy with that. I put her in the four-path, then I just had to see if she handled it, so I was very careful where I asked her. I don’t want to make an early move, but when I asked her the first time, she jumped in the bridle, and I was very, very happy with that. So, I was hoping she would handle the dirt in the stretch and give me a little bit. I needed another gear, and she gave it to me, so that was amazing.”

Good Cheer wound up six lengths clear of late-running Margie’s Intention in third. It was a big gap to La Cara, and Queen Azteca and Kinzie Queen completed the order.

Nitrogen, who placed in a pair of Grade 1 turf events as a juvenile, improved her overall record to 10-6-2-2 with more than $1.57 million in earnings. The Kentucky-bred is out of the stakes-placed Uncle Mo mare Tiffany Case and counts stakes winner Love to Shop as a half-sister.

Casse was asked whether Nitrogen would remain on the main track for her next start.

"I'm just going to get through today, we'll see.”