Nitrogen Following in Her Sire’s Footsteps
Nitrogen Following in Her Sire’s Footsteps
By Steve Haskin
It is safe to say that the connection between the 27-year-old Medaglia d’Oro and his 4-year-old daughter Nitrogen classifies them as kindred spirits. At least as a basis for this column, as you are about to learn.
It is not common to see a sire and his daughter separated by that many years. A good number of stallions are retired from stud duty at an earlier age than 27 and noticably slowing down in efficiency as sires, with their names now appearing in second and even third generations. However, Medaglia d’Oro, who was retired from stud duty just this year, not only is still productive as a sire, he is having the most successful three-year period of his career, with two daughters and a son combining to win at least one Grade 1 stakes in 2024, 2025, and 2026.
During that time, in addition to Nitrogen winning eight stakes and placing in eight others, including nine Grade 1’s, Medaglia d’Oro’s daughter Good Cheer has won six stakes, including the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks and finished second in the Grade 1 Alabama; and his son East Avenue has won three graded stakes, including the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity, and placed in three other graded stakes, including a second in the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes. All three have won stakes this year.
In addition, Megalia d’Oro’s son Spirit of St. Louis captured the Grade I Turf Classic and Pegasus World Cup Turf in 2025 at the age of 6.
Medaglia d’Oro, shown at Darley Stud, has always had a magnificent presence about him.
It is only appropriate for Medaglia d’Oro to have one of his greatest years as a sire the same year he finally was pensioned. But he certainly hasn’t been put out to pasture. He still lives in his same stall at Darley Stud at Jonabell and, as Godolphin COO Dan Pride said, “He’s doing great and is still living the exact same life he always has, minus going to the breeding shed.”
It’s hard to believe it’s been 17 years since Medaglia d’Oro’s daughter Rachel Alexandra set the racing world ablaze with her spectacular Horse of Year campaign in 2009 when she defeated the colts in the Preakness, Haskell Invitational, and her historic victory over older horses in the Woodward Stakes, in addition to a staggering 20 1/4-length romp in the Kentucky Oaks.
But with all the sensational horses Medaglia d’Oro has sired in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Hong Kong, there is something that sets Nitrogen apart from the others. Her connection with her sire is based on how much they had in common as racehorses, from their consistency, running style, and the ability to decimate their opposition to their agonizing defeats.
Combined, they have finished in the money in 32 of their 34 starts, with Nitrogen finishing in the money in all 17 of her starts. The only two races in which Medaglia d’Oro finished out of the money were the Kentucky Derby, when he fell too far back and closed ground to finish fourth, and the Preakness when trainer Bobby Frankel shipped him from Belmont to Pimlico at 4 a.m. the morning of the race and the colt just never seemed to have his usual spark.
They also have shared a love of Saratoga, with Medaglia d’Oro winning the Grade 1 Travers and Whitney and Grade 2 Jim Dandy, and Nitrogen winning the Grade 1 Alabama and Ogden Phipps Stakes, and also running arguably the race of her life when finishing second to defending Horse of the Year and Kentucky, Belmont, and Travers winner Sovereignty in the Whitney Stakes, regarded by many as the race of the year. In that race, in which Nitrogen set a testing pace of :46 1/5 and 1:09 3/5, she finished ahead of the winners of the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Whitney, Dubai World Cup, Jockey Club Gold Cup, Stephen Foster, Pegasus World Cup, Oaklawn Handicap, and the Florida Derby, Pennsylvania Derby, Louisiana Derby, and Iowa Derby.
Nitrogen asserts her authority, romping by almost 13 lengths in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Stakes.
It was also at Saratoga that they both have demonstrated their ability to annihilate their opposition, with Medaglia d’Oro winning the Jim Dandy by 13 3/4 lengths and Nitrogen winning the Ogden Phipps by 12 3/4 lengths. She also won the Wonder Again Stakes in the slop at Saratoga by 17 lengths when that race was taken off the grass. That is when Nitrogen first showed trainer Mark Casse that perhaps she was just as good or better on dirt, despite coming off four consecutive stakes victories on the turf.
But Medaglia d’Oro has always shown he can sire top-class horses on both dirt and grass. In addition to the numerous major dirt stakes his offspring have won, including the Kentucky Oaks and Alabama three times each, he has also sired the winners of the aforementioned Pegasus World Cup Turf and Turf Classic, and the Breeders’ Cup Turf, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, Golden Slipper, Hong Kong Mile (three times), Hong Kong Gold Cup (twice), and The Thousand Guineas, just to name several.
The parallels between father and daughter don’t end there. Their running style was almost identical, as both had great tactical speed. In his last 11 starts following the Kentucky Derby, Medaglia d’Oro after a half-mile was first (five times), second (four times), and third (twice). In her last 10 starts, Nitrogen has been first (twice), second (twice), third (four times), and fourth (twice). Neither horse was ever more than three lengths off the lead, and that was only once,
But unfortunately the main thing they have had in common are their “what ifs,” which definitely prevented Medaglia d’Oro from winning multiple Eclipse Awards and certain election into the Hall of Fame. It is still too early to know if Nitrogen’s “what ifs” will affect her legacy, as she still has other big races to run, and her defeat in the Whitney only enhanced her reputation.
As for Medaglia d’Oro, he was involved in two of the most inexplicable upsets ever, as well as finishing second in races where it took record or near-record performances to beat him.
In the 2002 Belmont Stakes, he finished ahead of the first three finishers of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, but was beaten a half-length by a 70-1 shot named Sarava, who would run eight more times in his career without finishing in the money.
Sarava at 70-1 odds defeats Medaglia d’Oro in the 2002 Belmont Stakes.
Later that same year, in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Medaglia d’Oro finished ahead of the winners of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, Santa Anita Derby, Santa Anita Handicap, Florida Derby, Blue Grass Stakes, and the Eclipse Stakes winner and English Derby and 2,000 Guineas runner-up. But he ran into the proverbial buzzsaw from out of the clouds, finishing second to 43-1 shot Volponi, who also ran eight more times in his career and never won again, finishing second five times.
In addition to those freakish defeats, Medaglia d’Oro finished second to the brilliant Candy Ride in the 2003 Pacific Classic, where it took a track-record 1:59 flat to beat him. He finished second to Pleasantly Perfect in the 2003 Dubai World Cup, where it took the second-fastest time in the history of the race at the time (2:00.24) to beat him. He finished second again to Pleasantly Perfect in the 2003 Breeders’ Cup Classic in 1:59 4/5 after battling head and head every step of the way with the brilliant Congaree. Only three horses at the time had ever run a faster Classic, and two of them were Cigar and Skip Away.
At 1 1/8 miles, Medaglia d’Oro proved unbeatable, winning the Donn Handicap in 1:47 3/5, the Whitney in 1:47 3/5, the Oaklawn Handicap in 1:47 3/5, the Strub in 1:48, and the Jim Dandy in 1:47 4/5, winning all five races by an average margin of six lengths. He also won the Travers at 1 1/4 miles, but, oh, all those big ones that got away.
It is hoped his daughter does not wind up with the same fate. Yes, Nitrogen has won the Alabama, Ogden Phipps, and Bayakoa on dirt, and the Edgewood, Appalachian, and Ginger Brew Stakes on grass, but, like her sire, oh, those seconds in big races.
It actually started with a fast-closing third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Although still a maiden after two starts in Canada, she came from 11th at the eighth pole and was flying at the end at 49-1. Then came those agonizing runner-up finishes over the next two years — second by a nose in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks at 2-5; second by a head in the Grade 1 Spinster at 2-1; and the toughest one of all, finishing second in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff to Scylla, who she had finished ahead of in the Spinster. Then in 2026 came a second in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap at 4-5 and finally her sensational and courageous second in the Whitney, in which she defeated four of the five best older males in the country. But by setting such a fast pace she couldn’t withstand the explosive closing kick of the reigning Horse of the Year.
So you can definitely see the similarities in so many different ways between Nitrogen and Medaglia d’Oro. We will see if Mark Casse tries to pull any more rabbits out of his hat, as he did in 2016 with Tepin, who he boldly sent to Royal Ascot to compete in one of the most testing and prestigious mile races in the world, the Queen Anne Stakes, run on an undulating straightaway. And all she did was defeat the best male and female milers in Europe, earning her a place in the Hall of Fame, in both the United States and Canada. Only time will tell if Nitrogen is heading in the same direction.
Right now she appears to be targeting the Spinster and Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Despite Nitrogen’s costly second-place finishes, one of which will no doubt boost her reputation, the Hall of Fame is still there for the taking. Her sire was deprived of racing’s ultimate honor, but he still has a chance to have three daughters, born over a 16-year span, enter racing’s pantheon. Immortality comes in many forms.
Medaglia d’Oro’s Long and Amazing Journey
Medaglia d’Oro, with regular jockey Jerry Bailey aboard, completes a Saratoga triple with his victory in the 2003 Whitney following wins in the 2002 Jim Dandy and Travers Stakes.
We have just told you what Medaglia d’Oro was, as a racehorse and a sire. Now it is time to tell you who Medaglia d’Oro is and where he came from. It is a story we have told in the past, but one that needs to be repeated on occasion.
We know that he was trained by Bobby Frankel, one of the sport’s most successful trainers whose main client, Prince Khalid Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, owned one of the world’s most powerful stables and breeding operations. Prince Khalid even named one of his horses Frankel, who still is arguably the most brilliant horse anyone in Europe has ever seen. And we know that Medaglia d’Oro stood for many years at Godolphin’s Darley Stud and actually shuttled to Australia nine times. Prior to that he resided at Hill n Dale Farm and Stonewall Stallions before being sold to Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley Stud in 2009, now under the Godolphin banner.
But what most people don’t know is that despite being surrounded by royalty almost his entire life and being a magnificent physical specimen, Medaglia d’Oro was not, as they say, “to the manor born.” Far from it.
He in fact spent his youth on a farm in Montana and later did his early training literally in the middle of the Arizona desert.
Born at Katalpa Farm in Paris, Ky., Medaglia d’Oro was sent to the farm of his owner/breeders, Joyce and Albert Bell, who owned a 110-acre spread outside Great Falls, Montana. After being broken in late 2000, he was about to return to Kentucky for his early training when the Bells’ trainer, Kent Jensen, suggested they send him to a small ranch in Arizona, which was located pretty much in the middle of nowhere, between Cave Creek and Carefree.
Running the ranch was Jensen’s exercise rider at Turf Paradise, Raland (Ral) Ayers, who worked there with his brother Lance. Jensen had helped the brothers get started there, lining up a few yearlings for them to break, and Jensen and Ral would divide their time between the ranch and the racetrack, as did Lance, who also galloped horses for trainer Jeff Mullins.
The Bells agreed to send Medaglia d’Oro to the Arizona ranch, shipping the big, strapping yearling down just after Thanksgiving. “The day he arrived, he had dapples on him you wouldn’t believe,” Jensen recalled.
Over the next five months, Medaglia d’Oro grew into a racehorse, but it certainly wasn’t the conventional early training one would expect for a future star.
“It was just a little training track out in the middle of nowhere,” Jensen recalled. “It didn’t even have a rail. When I first saw the place I didn’t like it, but it was close enough to Turf Paradise. Ral would take Medaglia d’Oro out and go riding off through the desert, out there with the cactus.”
Ral added, “I can’t even remember the name of the place. It was just a little cowboy ranch.”
But the Ayers and Jensen certainly got more than they bargained for with Medaglia d’Oro. “He stood out right from the beginning,” Ral recalled. “He had size and was well put together, and was very athletic. People would come to look at the young horses, and they’d always ask, ‘Who’s that one?'”
Jensen and Ral began to think that maybe they had something special on their hands; certainly something you wouldn’t expect to find running out in the middle of the Arizona desert.
“The first day I had him out on the track for a jog, he bowed his neck and knew exactly what he was supposed to do,” Ral said. “I had to back him up in order to slow him down. He was never intimidated by other horses. He was just a pro from day one. The first time I galloped him, he went between two horses like he’d been doing it all his life. I’ve never been around a horse with that much class.”
As Medaglia d’Oro’s training picked up, he continued to amaze Ral and Jensen. “He’d go two miles with rings on, (a ring bit that gives the rider better control and prevents strong tough horses from lugging in or bearing out) and then after two miles he would breeze three furlongs in :35 1/5,” Jensen recalled. “You just didn’t see young horses breeze in :35 1/5 after going two miles. It was nothing to him. He had an unbelievable stride. I trained him like I would a 3-year-old. The first time Ral got on him, he told me, ‘This colt is something.’ I never train a 2-year-old two miles, but from the first day he stepped foot on the track he wanted to train. You live your life to be around a horse like this. He was something special.”
The following April, Medaglia d’Oro was ready to be shipped to the racetrack, and the Bells sent him to trainer Dave Vance in Kentucky. While training at Churchill Downs that fall, he caught the eye of former trainer-turned bloodstock agent Mark Reid, who had just bought a 2-year-old named Labamta Babe for Bobby Frankel and owner Edmund Gann. Reid wasn’t in the market for another young horse at the time, having just bought a potential classic prospect for Frankel.
Medaglia d’Oro made his first start on December 7, 2001 at Turfway Park and finished second, breaking from the 12 post. Shortly after the race, Vance packed up shop and headed for Oaklawn Park. In February, Reid showed up looking for a new Derby horse for Frankel and Gann after Labamta Babe suffered an injury following an impressive victory in the Santa Catalina Stakes.
When Reid ran into Vance at the rail one morning, he told the trainer to keep an eye out for any good-looking 3-year-olds.
“Well, remember that colt you watched train at Churchill last fall?” Vance said. “There’s no horse on the grounds who can beat him. He was second first time out, and I’m gonna run him again pretty soon. Watch him and let me know what you think.”
When he was entered on February 9 for his 3-year-old debut, Reid called Frankel and told him to watch this colt. With Reid watching from Philadelphia Park, Medaglia d’Oro won by 4 1/4 lengths in 1:10 4/5 for the six furlongs, earning a sensational 101 Beyer speed figure. Frankel was unable to get to a TV and missed the race, but Reid told him this was a horse they definitely wanted to pursue. Frankel saw the huge speed figures the colt posted and gave Reid the green light.
The Bells told Jensen about the offer, and he felt the price they were offering was too good to pass up. But he soon had seller’s remorse. “If I had known he had run a 101 Beyer in that race I would have told them not to sell,” Jensen said, “When they told me it was Frankel who had bought him, I said, ‘Well, at least we’ll find out how good he really is.'”
And that they did, as Medaglia d’Oro developed into one of the leading horses in the country, winning grade I stakes at 3, 4, and 5, while earning over $5.7 million. He finished first or second in stakes at eight different racetracks in New York, California, Illinois, Florida, Arkansas, and Dubai, recording seven Beyer speed figures of 110 or higher, including his top three of 120, 119, and 118.
As a stallion, it was when his daughter Rachel Alexandra won the Kentucky Oaks and Preakness Stakes, and two other daughters, Gabby’s Golden Gal and Payton d’Oro, captured the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes and Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, respectively, all within a five-week period in the spring of 2009, Medaglia’s d’Oro’s stock soared and he joined the elite band of Sheikh Mohammed’s stallions at Darley Stud.
Following his retirement from racing, Medaglia d’Oro emerged as one of the nation’s leading sires.
Now, 17 years later, and his first year as a pensioner, we are witnessing history repeat itself, with Medaglia d’Oro having three top-class stakes winners from the same crop.
Currently, one of them is considered the most exciting filly in the country who stood up to all the big boys on the big stage in front of a big crowd and knocked off all but one. Not bad for a young gal with a father almost seven times her age.
Although Medaglia d’Oro is no longer breeding at 27, he has never lost that youthful spirit and remains a horse who refuses to grow old. To all those at Darley Stud he was and still is a star. And just think, it all began on a small Montana spread in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and on a little “nameless” ranch in the middle of the Arizona desert.
Photos by Coady Media/Renee Torbit, Darley Stud and Coglianese Photo/Janet Napolitano/NYRA
Racing historian, author, and award-winning retired journalist for the Daily Racing Form and The Blood-Horse, Steve Haskin was inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame’s Media Roll of Honor in 2016. Known for his racing knowledge and insightful prose, he has been an exclusive contributor to Secretariat.com since 2020.
Late reading this, but I am so glad I took the time. MEDAGLIA D’ORO. Wonderful wonderful story. Thank you so much.
Hi
It is appropriate that Tam Tam provided another Group 1 win for Medaglia d’Oro this weekend. I love it when older stallions show they are still relevant to the breed and to divisional honors for their offspring and their legacy.
I love that he not only has Damascus blood through the dam sire, but that it is through Damascus’ son Bailjumper (a full brother to Honorable Miss) – a lovely colt who also raced in the Cherry Dots silks for Mrs. Bancroft’s sons who competed under the Pen-Y-Bryn stable name.
greg (Fan of Damascus)
When I was watching the Pacific Classic yesterday I thought of the 2017 Breeders Cup Classic. It was a similiar race just two different horses on the front end. This year with Knightbridge and Full Serrano and back then Gunrunner and Collected with basically both horse running in each race the same way. BC Classic had a deeper field ( as can be expected). Nothing taking away from Knightbridge performance yesterday as he ran a stellar race but in the end who did he really beat. He proved he can go 1 1/4 but for the others in race it is obvious they are not 1 1/4 horse or they are past their prime. Full Serrano ran his heart out but 1 1/4 miles may just be a little too much for him… I hope this race did not break his spirit. Subsanador is past his prime and disappointed with his effort as I expecting better. Other than Hit Show all the other are suspect performers. Om N Joy had a credible effort but definitely no match for the winner….. stick with the filly and mares or run against weaker male company We will see if Knightbridge can repeat his performance at the Keeneland surface, If he can repeat his effort in the BCC there is no doubt he is the horse of the year but until then the race is still wide open.
On another topic
Last Friday;s showing of “Clear for Takeoff” (Flightline colt) definitely had his wings clipped. Hopefully it is just that he didn’t like the racing surface as he never got off the ground with that effort.
Powerline did not fair much better at Saratoga.in the third race at Saratoga yesterday
Waiting on Steve’s next article this week. Good handicapping to all !!!
Repole just confirmed that Gaffalieone will ride Renegade in Travers. Although I would have preferred Jr. Gaffalione is a very good 2nd choice. Would give him the same instructions I mentioned earlier.
My Gun’s Loaded has a little Steve Haskin story callback lurking in the gene pool. This is in the form of Secretariat x Fanfreluche together in generation 5 on the damside. Their son D’Accord (1979) was a full brother to Sain et Sauf, and was produced from the 1978 breeding after Fanfreluche’s return from her TN vacation (or nightmare). D’Accord appears as the sire of My Gun’s Loaded’s 3rd dam. He was a G2 winner from 10 starts.
Just happened to see the replay of Candy Ride’s Pacific Classic. There have been some very good female riders, but Julie Krone was in a class of her own. She looked like a part of the horse’s body. She was every bit as physically strong as the male riders and completely fearless.
Todd,
That Pacific Classic I consider one of the top five races I ever saw. Krone’s ride was flawless. Our host of this column has mentioned before he just happened to be at Del Mar and witness it.
I’ll take Rosie over Julie every day of the week.
Reading about Medaglia d’Oro doing his early training in Arizona elicits an imagery of a statuesque Thoroughbred forged by the hot breathe of the desert.
It makes you understand the words of Chad Brown who was Frankel assistant during Medaglia d’Oro times. The champion trainer said “He was made from solid steel…Never missed a day of training and never lost a workout”. “Here’s a sculpture of a horse who never misses training, never has a temperature, needs workmates rotated, is always sound and shows up for every race. That was Medaglia d’Oro”.
That exceptionality was also displayed in the breeding arena. Medaglia d’Oro has sired 189 black type winners, 8 champions including Hall of Fame fillies Rachel Alexandra and Songbird; and he might also become the paternal grandsire of another Hall of Fame member in the great filly Thorpedo Anna.
Medaglia d’Oro best sons at stud currently are Violence and Bolt d’Oro and there might be other sons likely to become top sires internationally as well.
Love this.
Thank you Nelson!
My thoughts …..
On the Pacific Classic , I am going with Subsanador… His workouts have been stellar and it has been a while since I have see a horse set up this way….. Charlie Whittingham anyone ?!!? I am looking for a big race from him. If he runs dull ) I am afraid father time might be catching up with him. He did have an excuse in his last race…. one of his shoe was dangling from his hoof.
On the Travers…
Looks like Renegade needs a jockey !!!! Irad agent let Todd Pletcher know that he probably not going to be available for the Travers. If that is the case if I was Pletcher I would getting with Junior Alvarado. I think he would fit him perfectly if Jr doesn’t a mount for the race already. Instructions to him would is take Renegade to the back and come with one big runnnnn … to the “outside” of Golden Tempo in the stretch… He runs his best to the outside of horses.
On another thought… Amr Zedan
For those that may not be aware of this….. Brandt was unceremoniously retired last week. Another disappointment for Zedan. Representing and Collmus so far are big duds with Representing not even getting a start yet. His latest large purchase, Zedan ($10 million +++) no works yet… wonder what is going on with him ???
I hope things start turning around for Amr or I am afraid horse racing may be losing another owner …. you can only take so much heartache.
On the Jockey Gold Cup …
Who will end up in this race. At this time is I am a owner with a decent horse I would avoid running against Forever Young and Sovereignty unless you just like running for 3rd place money.
Have a great weekend and good luck !!!
With all the horses likely for the Travers, I don’t know who has a mount and who doesn’t. We know Jose will not be available to ride Renegade, and I read that John Velasquez, who often rides for Pletcher and Repole, will be on Napoleon Solo. Javier Castellano knows more about winning the Travers than anybody else out there, and if he’s available, he probably would be my choice. My best wishes to Irad for a complete recovery very soon. It must be devastating to be unable to ride Counting Stars in the Alabama and probably Renegade in the Travers, both of whom I think are going to win.
DTS, he just bought a colt by Curlin for 2 million at the Fasig-Tipton sale on August 12.
Very handsome colt.
Thanks Lynda…. I hope he has luck with one of these latest purchases.. it has to be super frustrating for him.
My brother talked me through not my first Derby takedown! Of all years, it was 1989.
..I had $155 which took care of “ins”, to o Lone Oak Park, Salem Oregon….we both were in awe, of Easy Goer, Pete was looking at a Whittingham three year old who was already good, he also was on the improve…track was off he had Patrick Valenzuela, he figured two things: Easy Goer on an off track—#2 the fact that Easy had been running strong races, the Derby wasn’t going to be a “perfect trip)…he talked me into playing the trifecta….Sunday Silence)Easy Goer, Awe Inspiring/(I had three slotted for 3rd, including Dansil—each trifecta for $51…..tri paid $102 for a buck…mostly because of Sunday Silence….$153 became $5100….($155 to win pays $620)…
I look at the maidens, at Saratoga and Del Mar…dirt maidens….the one that caught my eye today was Cash Burn, by Nyquist…it was a deep and slow dirt surface today …Cash Burn took a bump, in between horses,cat the top of the stretch—and took off! 14 lengths, was battling between, at the head of the lane, so the 14 was done in the home straight….Chad Brown…..
(a filly ….I’ve seen a couple of impressive fillies debuting, at Saratoga this Summer)..
Medaglia D’Oro has long been one of my favorite sires.
He certainly does have a presence about him (like an Arabian) and he certainly stamps his fisites.
Off topic watched a brief video of Romantic Warrior
No halter. Such a lovely head and kind eye.
I wish we could see more photos and videos of these Thoroughbreds in a totally relaxed setting without halters, tack and blankets etc.
Ha ha. Not fisties fillies!
Oh the dreaded auto correct is a pain.
Steve,
Thanks for the great background article on Nitrogen and her sire Medaglia D’ Oro (MDO). I was trying to rack my brain trying to remember about MDO and Turf Paradise but nothing I can remember. I know about Kent Jensen and remember when he first came on the scene here as he made quite of an impression winning everything in site.
MDO has done very well for himself as he has sire some great fillies but his colts have been so-so.
Thanks once again on another fine article. Have a great week.
Clear for Takeoff, by Flightline, out of Noted and Quoted, by the Factor, is set to debut for Cherie DeVaux in the 9th race, at Ellis Park, tomorrow. On 8-13, he fired a bullet 4 furlongs in 48 flat, so it appears Ms, DeVoux has him ready for a big effort. His dam, Noted and Quoted, won the G1 Chandelier Stakes, for Bob Baffert back in 2016.
He opened at 12-1, so the value is there for betting purposes.
BTW, Powerline, another Flightline colt, didn’t handle the kickback very well in his initial start at Saratoga, and pretty much had a rough trip throughout the race. He is set to make amends, on Saturday, at Saratoga (race #3). Powerline went for $1.8 million at auction, and it comes as no surprise that he opened at 8/5, for his 2nd start.
Keep an eye open on these two Flightline colts moving forward this summer.
Thanks for the heads up Bill.
Clear for Takeoff is 12/1 in the ML… apparently there are other debutants with faster workouts… i.e. there are great expectations around National Forest (Constitution-Italia by Medaglia d’Oro) and Jokester (Practical Joke-Curlinup by Curlin).
At any rate, Clear for Takeoff offers very good bet value; after all Flightline got 23% of debut winners (in USA and Japan) and 71% of his debutants in the Place and Show.
It is also interesting to watch the debut of the filly Jump Seat (Flightline-Delightful Quality by Elusive Quality) in the fifth race at Ellis Park this Saturday.
As you can see her dam produced Essential Quality which makes her 3/4 sister to the champion.
Jump Seat shows a couple of very fast workouts at Churchill and her ML of 4/1 says she is expected to run well in the 6 furlong contest. Godolphin has done better with fillies than colts winning at their debuts…
Another homebred (for Peter Blum) by Flightline I am following is Nonstop the half brother to champion Authentic ; he is expected to work this Saturday at Belmont (his 5th official workout). Nonstop could be a very good three year old …
You’re welcome, Nelson
Yes indeed, this is the time of the year when we start seeing how this year’s crop of 2yr. old colts perform in their debut races. Colts sired by Into Mischief, Not This Time, Gun Runner, Flightline and Yaupon are sires that I’m most interested in.
Yes Bill… Elite stallions are always producing nice runners. I would include Early Voting in the list of top sires as well…
Sometimes there are sires that are not top tier but eventually throw above average runners. For instance, Icanthelpmyself, who finished a creditable second to Inshallah in their debuts, is by Mo Town who was sold to the Turkish Jockey Club this year after producing only four crops.
I was impressed by the way Icanthelpmyself finished behind the ultra fast Inshallah.
War of Will is the sire of U.S.S. Valor who was third behind the highly regarded Gaudreau and Coach Pope at Saratoga after a very unlucky trip.
Midshipman and Instilled Regard also come to mind as unexpensive sires that can eventually throw a good prospect…
Thank you, Steve! Medaglia d’Oro just might rank as my very favorite sire of this century. I always love his story. Thanks for the update from Mr. Pride, and the regal conformation photo you included. I thought Nitrogen was magnificent in the Whitney, despite finishing second. How can racing be contracting the way it is, when this Saratoga meet has provided fans with horses this good and compelling to pull for? (And some very fierce ladies, too boot!)
The bloodlines of these two are a bit of an anomaly here at Secretariat.com, with no Big Red. Plenty of Princequillo, and as the saying goes, the Princequillos can run all day.
A horse that always interests me when he appears close up in a pedigree is My Babu, and he’s there in Medalgia’s generation 5 – Damascus’ damsire. My Babu was the last strong sire with an uninterrupted sireline link to the Byerley Turk. To be sure, MdO is a Darley Arabian sireline horse all the way; however, I wonder if having that stronger, closer link to a little more genetic variation could be part of what makes him special.
Lastly, since we like to race to breed now, did anyone else make a theoretical Sovereignty x Nitrogen breeding in allbreedpedigree or equineline? No inbreeding through 5 crosses. I thought it was a little tempting, and fun if nothing else.
Great comments. I would take Nitrogen first to Gun Runner. New article by Anne Peters regarding stamina that is posted at her website, Pedigree Goddess. Much more thorough than one posted recently at Blood Horse. Great for research.
What a great piece of writing. ✍️. Thank you. I’ve always loved this horse. Majestic. What a show his daughter put on last week Nitrogen is just stunning. Hope this sire of sires lives a very long life. Well done!
Thanks very much Delrene.
That was another great piece, Steve. I always was a steadfast fan of Medaglia d’Oro (and still am), and I think he should be in the Hall of Fame. And what a handsome fella! Any time I see Medaglia d’Oro in a pedigree, it gets my attention. Especially with Nitrogen, who runs like Rachel and Songbird are in the background cheering her on.
Excellent story and writing Steve. I miss your articles and Kentucky Derby columns. Hope all is well.
Steve my favorite daughter of Medaglia d’Oro was Elate, a big tough, durable racehorse.
I loved Elate. Got lots of photos of her.
Thanks Bob. Ive never stopped writing either one. Both have been here every Monday for the past 6 years.
I just read an article about how “Horse Race Fans See the Future of the Sport,” it’s just an article about Inshallah, the 5 1/2 furlong wonder colt, that came back gassed, after tiring noticibly down the stretch…..and mewonders WHY? and….WHO are trumpeting this colt like this??…I watched his debut race, I heard about him…he got a 90 Beyer….maybe Sadler will return, in three weeks, for the Futurity, or maybe he will resurface in five months, it’s Sadler….
(pardon my snide remark about John Sadler, who is an able trainer!…He did a marvelous job, with Flightline..)..
Mathew W
There is no evidence to support your opinion that Inshallah was “gassed” subsequent to his maiden win on Saturday. Rosario had him geared down in the late stages, to conserve energy. In other words, Inshallah was under a “hand ride” late.
BTW, you might want to check out his impressive pedigree, which reflects an abundance of speed, class and stamina.
Next up, the Del Mar Futurity, at 7 furlongs.
BTW, there’s a good possibility that Inshallah carries the X-Factor Large Heart gene.
Khancord Kid was a “Double Copy” mare, tracking back to Secretariat, meaning she (Khancord Kid) could pass the large heart gene to Bar of Gold, (Inshallah’s dam).
Dismiss Inshallah at your own peril.
Have a nice day, Mathew W.
EDIT: Per John Sadler (Inshallah’s trainer), “What I’ve seen with all the Flightlines, is whatever they do going short, they’ll do even better going long. We have several of them (in our barn), and all have great airways like their father had, an “A” throat and they all have a lot of gas in the engine”.
I was wondering why the article was suggesting he was the future of the sport….I seen several at Saratoga that wow’d me…I only watched inshallah one time, so perhaps he was “geared down”, as you say….Sweet Azteca was geared down, I thought Inshallah was spaghetti legging it to the wire…my eyes aren’t what they once were, maybe Sadler can beat Bob, in The Futurity…I won’t be betting on him…
Matt and Bill,,
For me the jury is still out on how well Inshallah will do in the future. He should benefit from his first race but he will definitely need to learn how to rate if he going to go farther. As far as being geared down in the race I only saw that happening in the last few strides before the finishline. … but his early speed was impressive !!!. Will be interesting to see if he goes in the Del Mar futurity and if Baffert sends “Hughes” to that race. Should be quite a match if those 2 go.
Hi DTS
If both colts register good works leading up to the Futurity, I believe Hughes and Inshallah will face off in the race. Let the best colt win.
Great article Steve… my gf and I go to see “MDO” almost every year.
Even at 27 he looks tremendous…and he has an aura about him
Thanks very much Gerard.
Loved reading your column Steve. Thank you. Joan Lawrence
Thanks very much Joanie. Hope youre doing well.
I always liked Medaglia D’Oro. He was one of the few horses which made me stop dead in my tracks with a “who is THAT?” He looked the part (the George Clooney of horse racing, if you will), had the attitude, the athletic ability and talent. Criminently, if Secretariat can lose to Onion, then MDO can certainly lose to Sarava without too much damage to his legacy.
I also remember when Rachel Alexandra was racing. She was a big hit with my youngest granddaughter and the “Run Like A Girl” campaign was in full swing at the time.
Thank you so much for the column and bringing back the memories.
Loved this article!
Interesting that he’s not in the Hall of Fame. In my opinion, he’s at least as deserving as a couple of colts who didn’t race after the Belmont. The Triple Crown carries too much weight. But i just realized Tommy John didn’t get in eitherl
Just wait til next year!
Great piece, Steve. I so enjoyed what you wrote about Nitrogen, and then you exceeded my expectations with the story of Medaglia d’Oro. I just could picture that magnificent animal jogging into the Arizona desert from your description. As for Nitrogen, she really is exceptional. My hope is that she will peak this year at the Breeders’ Cup with another impressive victory.
Steve, I had to pour a second cup of coffee so I could enjoy this piece again. in my opinion when you tell the tale for those of us that witnessed some of those races back then it simply enhances appreciation for those memories. As for Medaglia d’Oro I’ll never forget the Wood with Buddha, what a head to head battle! Nitrogen, never count her out! Thanks!
Thanks Derek. That Wood was amazing. When I watched Buddha train at CD everyone stopped what they were doing. He took your breath away. I thought after seeing him he couldn’t lose the Derby.
I was dying to load up on Buddha in the KD. Not to be.
I’m a huge Nitrogen fan and really enjoyed this Steve! I was also a huge Songbird fan. The first time I got to meet MDO at Jonabell, I wore my Songbird shirt, and he wouldn’t give the time of day. Hid in the back of his stall so that I couldn’t even get a decent picture 😩. The next time I went, he was a completely different animal! Maybe he just didn’t like the shirt.
He is one of my favorites. Followed him because his dam was a Washington bred. He sires the most beautiful daughters. His half brother is at Old Friends. Thank you for honoring him and his amazing daughter Nitrogen in this column.
Hi Steve
Thank you for providing fascinating back stories on Nitrogen and Medaglia D’Oro, I enjoyed reading every word. Bar of Gold was one of Medaglia D’Oro’s daughters that earned $1.5 million over her career, including a winning effort in the BC Filly and Mare sprint, at 67-1. The reason I mentioned Bar of Gold, she happens to be the dam of Inshallah, recent winner of a $100K maiden race, at Del Mar, going 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03.11.
Inshallah sold for $2.1 million at auction, so there were high expectations from the get-go. In addition to having Medaglia D’Oro as his dam’s sire, his tail-female side is loaded with class and stamina influence, IMO.
Clearly, at this juncture, Inshallah and Hughes are the best 2yr. old colts on the west coast. Hopefully, we’ll see these two face each other in the G1 Del Mar Futurity, in September.
A remarkable story about Medaglio d’Oro — who (besides Steve Haskin and a few others) knew that his first training on a rail-less track was in the middle of the Arizona desert? — and one of his two greatest daughters: Nitrogen, along with 2009
Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra.
What Steve does here without equal is to draw comparisons that are far from obvious — and to document those comparisons like an expert trial
attorney methodically presenting her case — with details that fashion a compelling story.
Like father, like daughter in so many ways: Medaglia d’Oro and Nitrogen. May they both thrive — and may our inimitable Steve Haskin, the greatest horse-racing reporter I’ve ever known — thrive too!
I saw Madaglia, at the 2003 Breeders Cup….I had brought $400 and was down to my final $40, played $20 & $20 on Possibly Perfect …paid exactly $400—-Madaglia looked so classy, he put away Congaree…but Man-Oh-Mandella had that day—-and his horse proved the Classic was no fluke….