New plan for Nest, Annapolis

Nest, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2022, will now target the Grade 2, $200,000 Shuvee Stakes on July 23 at Saratoga for her 3-year-old debut, trainer Todd Pletcher said Thursday.

Nest, who has not raced since finishing fourth in the in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, was initially being pointed to the Doubledogdare at Keeneland in April for her return. When she wasn’t ready to make that, the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps, run Saturday, was the next goal.

Nest developed a temperature after she started breezing at Palm Beach Downs and missed too much time to make that race. The Grade 2, $400,000 Fleur de Lis on July 1 at Churchill was mentioned as a possible target before that race got moved to Ellis Park.

Nest has breezed four times at Belmont Park since mid-May, and she is scheduled to breeze again Saturday, Pletcher said.

“The plan is to train up to the Shuvee,” Pletcher said. “She’s starting to regain her form and fill out and mature. If everything goes well for her, we hope to run her in the two races at Saratoga.”

The Shuvee is the stepping-stone to the Grade 1 Personal Ensign on Aug. 25 at Saratoga.

Meanwhile, Pletcher said that Annapolis shed a frog on his left front foot, which prevented him from being entered in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Poker.

Pletcher said Annapolis, who won the Opening Verse Stakes on May 5 at Churchill Downs, will now target the Grade 3, $175,000 Kelso Stakes on July 15 at Saratoga, Pletcher said.

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