Racing Roundtable: Nitrogen, She Feels Pretty and year-end implications

On this week's Racing Roundtable, James Scully, Vance Hanson, and Ashley Anderson discuss Nitrogen's grasp on the three-year-old female division, She Feels Pretty stretching out in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1), and what else caught their eye in racing.

Versatile sophomore Nitrogen made it 2-for-2 on the dirt on Saturday when she pulled off the slight upset of Kentucky Oaks (G1) victress Good Cheer in the Grade 1 Alabama. Trainer Mark Casse indicated the plan going forward for multiple graded turf star Nitrogen was to remain on the dirt, with an eye toward the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1).

Meanwhile, up north in Toronto, She Feels Pretty punched her ticket to the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf when she held off a late challenge from Godolphin homebred Diamond Rain in the E.P. Taylor (G1) at Woodbine. The top turf female in the U.S. is 3-for-4 in 2025, with She Feels Pretty's lone loss a head second to Excellent Truth in the 1 1/8-mile Diana (G1). She'll stretch out to the three-turn, 1 3/8-mile Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar in November, and trainer Cherie DeVaux may train her up to the year-end contest. Another option would be to run one more time before the Breeders' Cup, with the Waya S. (G3) at Aqueduct on Oct. 5 a potential landing spot.

Outside the top two female performances from the weekend in graded stakes, a few other runners stood out, including a handful of two-year-olds at Saratoga and Del Mar. The Roundtable panel also touches on the Travers Day card Saturday, Aug. 23, at Saratoga.