Nest has final prep for next week's Shuvee Stakes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Nest, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2022, completed preparations for her 4-year-old debut in next Sunday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Shuvee Stakes at Saratoga by working a half-mile in 49.92 seconds Sunday morning over the Oklahoma training track.

This work can’t be judged alone on final time. It’s what Nest did after the wire that stood out. Nest galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.67 and six furlongs in 1:15.17 over a track rated good and a bit heavy from Sunday morning's rain.

“She’s long winded, she’s got no trouble with distance as we saw here last year in the Alabama,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “A mile and an eighth off the layoff with some seasoned, really quality horses is a tall order, but she seems like she’s really doing well.”

:: Get Saratoga Clocker Reports from Mike Welsch and the Clocker Team. Available every race day.

Nest hasn’t run since a fourth-place finish behind her stablemate Malathaat in last November’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff. That wasn’t by design.

When Nest first came to Pletcher this winter in Florida, she developed a lung infection that forced her to miss a month of training as well as a planned return in the Doubledogdare Stakes at Keeneland in April or the La Troienne at Churchill Downs in May.

Sunday’s move, which was done in company with the unraced 3-year-old Onlooker, was Nest’s 10th breeze since mid-May.

In the Shuvee, Nest is scheduled to face Clairiere and Played Hard, both of whom have already won Grade 1 stakes this year. The Shuvee is the prep for the Grade 1 Personal Ensign here on Aug. 25.

“We expect big things from her always,” Pletcher said. “It’s a lot to ask of her, but she ran well in her debut at a mile and a sixteenth and basically has run well every start of her career. Hopefully, we go there fit enough to perform well. This is a first step towards bigger goals.”

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.