3/22/26 Barn Notes
Champion Nitrogen returned to the work tab Sunday morning at Oaklawn with a sizzling half-mile workout over a fast track for dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse.
Nitrogen, under two-time Oaklawn riding champion Cristian Torres, was clocked in :46.40, fastest of 56 published works at the distance. Nitrogen was breezing for the first time since finishing third in the $400,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) for older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles March 7.
The Azeri was Oaklawn’s final major prep for the $1.25 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) at 1 1/16 miles April 11, Nitrogen’s major spring objective.
“Nitrogen looked like the old Nitrogen,” said assistant trainer Caden Arthur, who oversees Casse’s Oaklawn division. “She galloped great down the lane. She looked like she was barely moving, but her time didn’t really say that.”
Clockers caught Nitrogen in :23.80 for her opening quarter-mile and galloping out five furlongs in :59.20 and six furlongs in 1:12.60. Torres was aboard Nitrogen for the first time.
“Nice horse,” Torres said. “Makes it easier for me.”
Torres has been the regular rider at the meeting for stablemate Nerazurri, who also breezed a half-mile Sunday morning in advance of a scheduled start in the Apple Blossom. Nerazurri, under exercise rider Autumn Lavertu, went in :48.40. Nerazurri galloped out five furlongs in 1:01..
“Nerazurri went nice and easy out there,” Arthur said.
Sandwiched around victories in the Oaklawn Sports Overnight Stakes Jan. 1 and Trivista Overnight Stakes Feb. 27, Nerazurri finished second to Nitrogen in the $250,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) Feb. 7.
Nitrogen and Nerazurri both breezed by themselves during the special 10-minute workers-only session following the surface renovation break. Arthur said Nitrogen and Nerazurri will have their final works for the Apple Blossom April 1.
“More than likely, they’ll go solo, five-eighths,” Arthur said. “We’ll put a good time into them right there.”
Nitrogen was North America’s champion 3-year-old filly of 2025. The Bayakoa marked her 4-year-old and Oaklawn debut.
The Apple Blossom is a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1). Nitrogen finished second in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
Skippy Does it Again
Skippylongstocking received a preliminary Beyer Speed Figure of 101 for his 5 ¼-length romp in Saturday’s $500,000 Essex Handicap (G3) for older horses at 1 1/8 miles.
The Essex marked the most lucrative career victory for jockey Micah Husbands, 23, who had never been aboard the millionaire Grade 1 winner. Saturday also marked the first time Husbands had ridden at Oaklawn, with the Essex his first Oaklawn victory.
“Everything was a first for me,” Husbands said moments after the Essex.
The Essex was the 12th career stakes victory – all graded – for Skippylongstocking, lifting his earnings to $5,746,250. The 7-year-old son of 2016 Preakness champion Exaggerator is 14 of 37 overall. Skippylongstocking was exiting a victory in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Jan. 24 at Gulfstream Park.
“Proud that Micah was able to step up in the position that we needed and handle the pressure,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said moments after the Essex.
Skippylongstocking was to depart Sunday for his south Florida base. The Essex was a major local prep for the $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) at 1 1/8 miles April 18, but Joseph said Skippylongstocking is likely headed to the Alysheba Stakes (G2) May 1 at Churchill Downs.
Skippylongstocking won the 2024 Oaklawn Handicap and ran third last year, but stablemate White Abarrio, a millionaire Grade 1 winner, is pointing to this year’s edition.
“We’re going to consider the Oaklawn Handicap, but it’s definitely 80 percent Alysheba,” Joseph said. “That makes the most sense right now, timing-wise. You always want to keep all options open, but right now it’s the Alysheba.”
Skippylongstocking’s winning time in the Essex was a meet-best 1:48.82. He carried top weight of 124 pounds, spotting his seven rivals 6 or 7 pounds.
“He made it look easy,” Joseph said.
A (Good)all Performance
Mark Toothaker is stallion sales manager for Kentucky’s famed Spendthrift Farm. He also dabbles in breeding, with his resume boasting 2024 Belmont Stakes starter The Wine Steward, Grade 2 winner Temple and now record-setting Goodall.
“I’ve had a few stakes winners, but nothing as fast as her,” Toothaker said. “She’s by far the fastest thing ever.”
Toothaker was referring to Spendthrift Farm’s Goodall, who produced the fastest six furlongs in Oaklawn history by a 3-year-old filly in the $150,000 Purple Martin Stakes March 14.
Goodall, who was ridden by Erik Asmussen, clocked 1:08.78 over a fast track in toppling odds-on favorite River Wind by 4 ½ lengths. The previous stakes record (1:09.01) was set in 2022 by Pretty Birdie.
Goodall ($12) was making her stakes debut and third lifetime start for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen after breaking her maiden Feb. 14 at Fair Grounds. Goodall received a preliminary Beyer Speed Figure of 94 for her Purple Martin victory.
A very nice feeling,” Asmussen said. “I think she’s got a huge future.”
Asmussen said Goodall could be headed to graded company for her next start, possibly the seven-furlong Eight Belles Stakes (G2) for 3-year-old fillies May 1 at Churchill Downs. The prestigious Test Stakes (G1), another 3-year-old filly race at seven furlongs, is Aug. 8 at Saratoga.
“Races of that nature are definitely what we will be considering going forward,” Asmussen said. “Pleased that she’s a stakes winner and look forward to what kind of summer she can put together.”
Spendthrift purchased Goodall for $525,000 at the 2025 OBS Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in training from the consignment of Florida-based Tom McCrocklin following a blazing quarter-mile breeze (:20.40) in her under-tack preview work. The time equaled the fastest at the sale.
Toothaker bred Goodall with nationally prominent owners William and Corinne Heiligbrodt. Goodall is by Spendthrift stallion Yaupon, North America’s leading first-crop sire of 2025 and a Grade 1-winning sprinter during his racing career for the Heiligbrodts and Asmussen.
“Thank goodness, Bill Heiligbrodt loves us enough and did a foal share with us,” said Toothaker, a native of Van Buren, Ark. “Happy that that’s all worked out good. We didn’t cash a good ticket on her.”
But it was quite the pinhook score for McCrocklin, who purchased Goodall for $62,000 at Fasig-Tipton’s Kentucky Select Yearling Sale in July 2024.
Toothaker breeds to sell, but he said pre-sale interest in Goodall was lagging following a physical setback. Toothaker said he then asked McCrocklin, a college buddy in the mid-1980s at Louisiana Tech, to look at the Kentucky-bred filly.
“I really thought maybe Bill might buy her,” Toothaker said. “But for whatever reason, he didn’t and Tom bought her and made all the money.”
Toothaker was attending the OBS Winter Mixed Sale in January 2025 when he said it became apparent that McCrocklin had hit a home run on the newly turned 2-year-old.
Toothaker noted that Spendthrift had purchased Kingsbarns and Ruby Nell – future Grade 1 and Grade 2 winners, respectively – from McCrocklin consignments in 2022.
McCrocklin’s assessment of Goodall, according to Toothaker? Fast, comparable to Kingsbarns and Ruby Nell and a Grade 1 talent. Toothaker said he then suggested McCrocklin contact Spendthrift owner Eric Gustavson and COO/general manager Ned Toffey and pitch the filly’s upside.
“I didn’t have anything left in the deal, except I still had the mare,” Toothaker said. “I just said: ‘Man, you’ve got to talk to Eric and Ned and just tell them because they trust you. We’ve had so much success buying off of you. You need to tell them what you told me when you get her to the sale.’ She’s the only filly Spendthrift’s bought the last two years out of a 2-year-old sale. We’ve really just gone to buying colts, hoping to get a stallion. But they believe so hard in Tom and his judgment that they bought her. I’m just so glad it’s worked out and so hope we get to see her in the Eight Belles on (Kentucky) Oaks Day.”
Toothaker purchased Goodall’s dam, Moon Over Mag Bay, then in foal to multiple Grade 1 winner The Factor, for $20,000 at the 2021 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. The foal, Moonlight Grey, was purchased for $10,000 at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Moonlight Grey, a 4-year-old filly, was toiling last summer in the claiming ranks in the Pacific Northwest. Goodall, Moon Over Mag Bay’s second foal to reach the races, is already a record-setting stakes winner.
“I haven’t done great selling out of her, but, hopefully, moving forward we’re going to be in much better shape,” Toothaker said of Moon Over Mag Bay, a 9-year-old daughter of the deceased Malibu Moon. “Hopefully, this filly (Goodall) goes on to bigger and better things. But even if some bad luck happens, I told my wife: ‘At least she’s now a stakes producer on her second foal and we’d have that in the pedigree. They can’t take that away from us.’ But, obviously, we have hope for one that runs that fast. Steve told me after the race: ‘Well, she’s not a 1:10 and change filly, is she?’”
Goodall’s Purple Martin time was slightly faster than Tejano Twist’s 1:08.93 in winning the $250,000 Whitmore Stakes (G3) for older horses roughly an hour later on the card. Tejano Twist is a millionaire 7-year-old gelding.
Toothaker said Goodall was named after the late primatologist Jane Goodall.
The Wine Steward won the $150,000 Fifth Season Stakes in his 4-year-old debut last year at Oaklawn.
Finish Lines
Following Sunday’s card, racing resumes Thursday at 12:30 p.m CDT. The feature is the $200,000 Hot Springs Stakes for 3-year-olds at one mile. Grade 3 winner Desert Gate is the 6-5 program favorite for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. … Cristian Torres will ride unbeaten French Friction in the $750,000 Ashland Stakes (G1) for 3-year-old fillies April 3 at Keeneland, the jockey’s agent, Cody Autrey, said Saturday morning. Torres has ridden French Friction in her two lifetime starts this season at Oaklawn, including the $150,000 Dixie Belle Stakes Feb. 14. French Friction has never raced around two turns. … Apprentice Joshua Radosevich won the first race March 15 aboard L. A. Diamond ($9.20), which marked the jockey’s third victory in his last four Oaklawn starts. Before recording his first three meet victories last race week, Radosevich, 18, had already decided to return home to ride regularly at Mahoning Valley in Ohio, where he launched his career Dec. 1. Radosevich has nine career victories. … Oaklawn surpassed $6 million in claims March 15, Day 37 of the meeting. According to figures released by Oaklawn, 284 claims totaled $6,001,500.
