Nitrogen defeated the other leaders in the 3-year-old filly division with an impressive victory in the prestigious Grade 1 $600,000 Alabama Stakes presented by Keeneland Sales Aug. 16 at Saratoga Race Course.

Nitrogen drew praise as the top 3-year-old filly on the turf after a dominant spring racing on the grass. When rain forced her off the turf onto a sloppy dirt track in the Grade 3 Wonder Again Stakes on June 7 and she romped by 17 lengths, the question had to be asked, is she just simply the best 3-year-old filly, period? Based on her win in the Alabama over a fast dirt track, the answer appears to be yes.

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Owner Leonard Green of D. J. Stable has owned and bred horses for about five decades, so he knows a thing or two about high-quality horses. That's why his homebred defeating the likes of Godolphin's Grade 1 Longines Kentucky Oaks winner Good Cheer and Tracy Farmer's dual Grade 1 winner La Cara shot Saturday's Alabama win toward the top of his proudest victories.

"This is by far one of the most exciting because the caliber of (horses) that were in this race," Green said.

Nitrogen's Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse also has been around some sensational sophomore fillies through his 4,000-plus career victories, however, none before have been Nitrogen.

"As a 3-year-old filly, (Nitrogen is the) best I've ever had," Casse said of his dual-surface star.

La Cara, also trained by Casse, played a huge role in the way Nitrogen's trip developed. As La Cara set the pace, jockey Jose Ortiz had to walk the tightrope aboard Nitrogen in order to not sabotaging both La Cara's and Nitrogen's chances in a speed duel.

Floating Nitrogen wide into the first turn to allow both fillies to settle, Ortiz kept Nitrogen attached to La Cara's tail through fractions of :24.94, :49.70, and 1:13.24.

Nitrogen well ahead of Good Cheer. (Eclipse Sportswire)

"I wanted to apply pressure little by little," Ortiz said. "We're from the same barn, so I didn't want to kill each other, but I wanted to keep her in my sights."

Ortiz punched past La Cara while remaining relatively still in the saddle as they moved past the quarter pole, waiting to call on Nitrogen as the daunting presence of Good Cheer loomed behind him. Ortiz was not sure whether he could expect the same kick on the dirt as Nitrogen had shown many times before on the turf.

"I was very careful when I asked her, I didn't want to make an early move," Ortiz said. "When I asked her for the first time, she jumped in the bridle. ... I needed another gear, and she gave it to me."

Rebounding from her head-scratching fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 DK Horse Acorn Stakes on June 6, Good Cheer gave it her all in the stretch but could not get close enough. Nitrogen hit the wire 1 1/2 lengths ahead while stopping the clock in 2:03.31. She paid $6.10 to win.

Nitrogen earned her fifth graded stakes win this season and now has a career record of 6-2-2 from 10 starts for earnings of $1,576,604.