Nitrogen

Nitrogen began her career as a 2-year-old with a runner-up finish in a Woodbine one-mile maiden race on the turf on Aug. 30, 2024. She then placed third as a maiden in the Grade 1 Natalma Stakes at Woodbine on Sept. 14 and finished her juvenile season with another third-place finish when still a maiden in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Juvenile Turf.

Nitrogen finally got her overdue maiden win in her first outing as a 3-year-old in a one-mile grass race at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 4, 2025. She was immediately back versus stakes company after that for her next start, which came in the Grade 3 $200,000 Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs on March 8. Sent off as the 3-2 favorite in an 11-horse field in the Florida Oaks, Nitrogen stalked the pace up close, challenged the leader in deep stretch and got up in time for a half-length victory.

In her next start, Nitrogen was sent off as the 6-5 post-time favorite in the Grade 2 Appalachian Stakes Presented by Japan Racing Association April 8 at Keeneland. She took over at will entering the stretch of the 1 1/16-mile turf race to win by 2 ¼ lengths over stablemate and Grade 3 winner Vixen. The bay filly by Medaglia d'Oro followed with a runaway 3 ½-length victory as the odds-on favorite in the $600,000 Edgewood Stakes presented by Accenture on the May 2 Longines Kentucky Oaks undercard at Churchill Downs. 

Nitrogen’s next start came in the Wonder Again Stakes June 7 at Saratoga on the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets undercard. The race was switched from turf to dirt and held at one mile due to heavy rain earlier in the Saratoga Springs region, and featured only three horses after scratches. In her first start on dirt, heavy favorite Nitrogen romped over the sloppy track to win by 17 lengths geared down by jockey Jose Ortiz. Nitrogen's five-race winning streak came to an end by a nose when she was nipped at the finish line by Fionn in the Grade 1 $500,000 Belmont Oaks Invitational going 1 1/8 miles at Saratoga on July 5.

Exiting a rare loss, Nitrogen got right back into best form, and then some, with a victory in her next race which came in the Grade 1 $600,000 Alabama Stakes presented by Keeneland Sales going 1 1/4 miles on the main track at Saratoga on Aug. 16. Sent off as the 2.05-1 second choice on the tote board in a six-horse field in the Alabama against the likes of multiple Grade 1 winning fillies Good Cheer and La Cara, Nitrogen pressed the pace throughout and took over the lead from La Cara coming into the stretch and then fended off a late bid by Good Cheer to win by 1 1/2 lengths in a time of 2:03.31 with jockey Jose Ortiz aboard. After winning four times on the turf, the Alabama Stakes win raised Nitrogen's career record on the dirt to 2-for-2.

Nitrogen stayed on dirt for her next start and faced older fillies and mares in the Grade 1 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes Oct. 5 at Keeneland. She took aim on pacesetter Gin Gin in early stretch and finished strongly but drifted out in the final furlong and came up a head short in the “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

Based on her outstanding and versatile racing season, Nitrogen received the Eclipse Award as champion 3-year-old female of 2025.

Nitrogen was back on the track for the beginning of her 4-year-old campaign at Oaklawn Park on Feb. 7, 2026, when she made her seasonal debut in the Grade 3 $250,000 Bayakoa Stakes going 1 1/16 miles in a field of six. Sent off as the heavy 0.30-1 favorite in the Bayakoa, Nitrogen stalked the pace and accelerated in the stretch to take command. She drew off late to score a 2 3/4-length victory. After the fast start to the 2026 season, however, Nitrogen was upset in her two following starts at the Oaklawn Park meet, first with a third-place finish in the Grade 2 Azeri Stakes on March 7, and then with a second-place finish in the Grade 1 $1.25 million Apple Blossom Handicap on April 11.

Following that three-race string in Arkansas, Nitrogen returned at a track she had first shown her dirt ability at, Saratoga, for the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Stakes June 5 held during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. She took the lead entering the first turn of the 1 1/8-mile race and established a smooth cruising rhythm through the backstretch and far turn with mild pressure from Bless the Broken. At the quarter pole, Nitrogen extended her lead, and she accelerated even more in early stretch to draw away from the field while drifting out slightly. Nitrogen won by 12 ¾ lengths under wraps from Jose Ortiz and emphatically re-established her position at the top of the older filly and mare division, earning a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic in the process.

Nitrogen’s Ogden Phipps performance gave her connections the confidence to test her against males, and she made her next 2026 start in the Aug. 8 Whitney Stakes at Saratoga. Regular jockey Jose Ortiz rode race favorite Magnitude, while Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez took the reins on Nitrogen for the first time. Even after Nitrogen stumbled at the start, Velazquez aggressively sent her to the front early, and the filly responded a game effort, setting the pace and continuing on strong through the stretch despite being overtaken late by race winner and 2025 Horse of the Year Sovereignty.

The filly returned to compete against females for her sixth 2026 start and her final Breeders’ Cup prep, posting a 2 ¾-win in the Beldame Stakes Sept. 25 going 1 1/8 miles around one turn at the reopened Belmont Park.

Bred in Kentucky, Nitrogen is out of the stakes-placed Uncle Mo mare Tiffany Case and is a half-sister to stakes winner Love to Shop.