D. J. Stable’s reigning Champion 3-Year-Old Filly, Nitrogen, will continue her journey toward this year’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) by competing in Friday’s $250,000 Beldame (G2) at Belmont Park. This race, a one-turn 1 1/8-mile dirt contest for fillies and mares, offers Breeders’ Cup ‘Dirt Dozen’ incentives, with the winner earning a $30,000 credit toward Breeders’ Cup Distaff entry fees. Second and third places receive $15,000 and $7,500 credits, respectively.
Trainer Mark Casse expressed enthusiasm about running Nitrogen at the revamped Belmont Park, calling it a “game changer” for horse racing and praising the recent Saratoga meet and the venue’s improvements. Nitrogen, a 4-year-old daughter of Medaglia d’Oro, is making her first start since finishing a determined second to Horse of the Year Sovereignty in the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes at Saratoga on August 8. That performance earned her a 105 Beyer Speed Figure as she set the pace before being overtaken late, despite finishing well ahead of several Grade 1 winners.
Since the Whitney, Nitrogen has trained well with two works at Saratoga and a half-mile solo breeze in 49.62 seconds at Belmont. Casse noted she’s adapted well and is focused on the bigger goal: the Breeders’ Cup. Originally a turf specialist with multiple graded wins including the Grade 3 Florida Oaks and Grade 2 Appalachian and Edgewood Stakes, Nitrogen transitioned impressively to dirt, highlighted by a 17-length victory in an off-the-turf running of the Grade 3 Wonder Again and a near miss in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational.
Her last eight races have been on dirt, including a Grade 1 Alabama win last year and close runner-up finishes in the Spinster and Breeders’ Cup Distaff that crowned her champion. This year, she continued her success with a stakes win in the Grade 3 Bayakoa at Oaklawn and a brilliant 12 3/4-length triumph in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps at Saratoga, where she posted a career-best 113 Beyer.
With earnings nearing $3 million, Nitrogen is a Kentucky-bred by D. J. Stable out of Tiffany Case, an Uncle Mo mare, and is a half-sister to graded stakes-placed Love to Shop. Jose Ortiz, her regular jockey, will ride from post 4.
Challenging Nitrogen are Chad Brown trainees Lost Horizon, a Kentucky homebred by Into Mischief and out of Grade 1 winner Wow Cat, and Donor Advised, a promising Gun Runner filly making her stakes debut. Lost Horizon, finishing second in the Molly Pitcher Stakes and boasting multiple top performances with a 92 Beyer, will start from post 2 with Flavien Prat aboard. Donor Advised, returning from a year-long break to win an optional claiming race at Saratoga with a career-best 92 Beyer, breaks from post 1 under Manny Franco.
Also in the lineup is Cory Moelis Racing’s Boutwell Time, trained by Juan Carlos Guerrero, who is making her graded stakes debut after four consecutive wins, including two stakes victories. The 4-year-old Not This Time filly, known for both closing and front-running tactics, starts from post 3 with Antonio Fresu riding. Completing the field is Lika Rolling Stone, a six-time winner with over $340,000 in earnings, trained by Antonio Arriaga and ridden by Chris Elliott from post 5.
This story originally appeared in the Paulick Report on September 19, 2026.
Fan Take: This race is a thrilling preview of the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, showcasing some of the sport’s top female talent returning to the dirt. For horse racing fans, Nitrogen’s participation and the quality of her rivals spotlight the depth and excitement in North American turf and dirt competition, promising an electrifying culmination to the season.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
