Casse confirms Nitrogen for Locust Grove over Spinster

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Nitrogen, the runner-up in the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes, will make her next start in the Grade 2, $400,000 Locust Grove Stakes at Churchill Downs on Sept. 12 instead of the Grade 1 Spinster on Oct. 4 at Keeneland, trainer Mark Casse confirmed Wednesday.

Casse said he likes the seven weeks from the Locust Grove to the Breeders’ Cup on Oct. 31 better than the 27 days from the Spinster to the Breeders’ Cup.

“If you look, [her] best races are six or seven weeks in between,” Casse said. “The [Spinster] was a little too close.”

Nitrogen, prior to her runner-up finish to Sovereignty in the Whitney, won the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps by 12 3/4 lengths at Saratoga. Her other victory this year came in the Grade 3 Bayakoa at Oaklawn Park.

Casse said Nitrogen has come out of her race in the Whitney in excellent shape.

“She trained as good this morning as I’ve ever seen her,” Casse said.

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