Nitrogen, Sandman Work Towards ’26 Debuts

[Wandering Eyes]

Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro) worked five furlongs in 1:00 (1/62) Saturday morning for dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse, who is pointing the millionaire Grade I winner for the $1.25 million GI Apple Blossom Handicap for older fillies and mares April 11 at Oaklawn.

“The track's pretty deep right now,” assistant trainer Caden Arthur, who oversees Casse's Oaklawn division, said Sunday afternoon. “I mean, not a lot of water, trying not to let it freeze. She moved over it phenomenally. Went a minute flat and did it cruising. Glad she caught some company in front. Gave her something to chase a little bit. 'Quick' worked good. She's just not on Nitrogen's level. Not a lot of fillies in the country are, so it was a little hard to stay with her. She did good. She worked her own work. I was happy. Nitrogen is Nitrogen. She got the name for a reason. She breathes different air.”

A homebred for D. J. Stables, Nitrogen is among three finalists for an Eclipse Award as North America's champion 3-year-old filly of 2025 after winning six of nine starts, most recently finished second in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Del Mar in November. Nitrogen recorded workouts Dec. 31 and Jan. 7 at Casse's Florida training center before shipping to Oaklawn. She arrived Jan. 11.

Casse said Nitrogen could make her 4-year-old debut in the $400,000 GII Azeri Stakes March 7 at Oaklawn.

“Very happy she's here,” Arthur said. “She looks great today, the day after her work, and we're excited for her 4-year-old campaign.”

Also working towards his 2026 debut for Casse was millionaire Grade I winner Sandman (Tapit). Unraced since late August, Sandman covered five furlongs in 1:02 (3/11) under two-time Oaklawn riding champion Cristian Torres. Sandman traveled his first three furlongs in :37 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:15.20.

Arthur said Sandman could make his 4-year-old debut in a Feb. 6 allowance race which, if all goes well, would serve as a bridge to the $500,000 GIII Razorback Handicap for older horses at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 28.

“He had a good breeze,” Arthur said. “The track's real deep. We'll have one more breeze next week, hopefully, around Wednesday, depending on the weather. That allowance race is kind of what we're shooting for as a prep for the Razorback.”

Sandman ran four times last season at Oaklawn, winning an allowance race in his final start at 2 and the $1.5 million GI Arkansas Derby.

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