Nickname scores graded stakes victory in Frizette
ELMONT, N.Y. – Under a well-judged ride by Javier Castellano, Nickname went from a maiden winner to a Grade 1 winner Saturday in the $400,000 Frizette at Belmont Park.
The Frizette was a Win and You're In race for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, and trainer Steve Asmussen said he would see how Nickname came out of the race and discuss matters with owners Larry, Nancy, and Jaime Roth, who race as LNJ Foxwoods. The Frizette was the first Grade1 win for the Roths, who live in Melville, N.Y., on Long Island.
Nickname, a daughter of Scat Daddy, was purchased for $350,000 by Alex Solis II and Jason Litt as a yearling at the Keeneland September sale in 2014. Asmussen said he spoke with Solis and Litt at an Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. auction last winter about the possibility of training for the Roths.
"We went out and looked at the 2-year-olds they had, and when this filly walked out of the barn, it was hard to believe she was 2," Asmussen said. "She just had that look and feel about her from that moment. For things to come together so nicely for our stable, the Roths, and Alex and Jason is wonderful."
She's All Ready, the 19-10 favorite, didn't break sharply but moved up to take the early lead. She clipped off fractions of 22.78 seconds, 46.10, and 1:10.93 in the Frizette, a one-mile race contested over a sloppy track.
Castellano sat chilly several lengths back on Nickname until the far turn, where he began to inch forward. Nickname took the lead in upper stretch and pulled away to win by 3 1/2 lengths with Castellano not asking for too much late in the race.
"I have to admit I was a little worried about the off-going because she's such a big mare," Asmussen said.
The Frizette was Nickname's third career start. She had a poor start in her debut and finished fourth Aug. 2 at Saratoga. She came back Sept. 2 to post a frontrunning 3 1/2-length victory.
She's All Ready could not keep up when Nickname came calling in upper stretch but continued willingly. She was out-finished for the place in the final sixteenth by Nemoralia, a Kentucky-bred who had made four starts in Great Britain for trainer Jeremy Noseda. Nemoralia bested She's all Ready for second by 1 1/4 lengths. It was nine lengths back from She's All Ready to Width in fourth.
Nickname paid $12.80 as third choice in the seven-horse lineup. She covered the mile in 1:37.76.
Width, the 2-1 second choice, broke slowly but recovered and moved up into third position inside Nickname on the backstretch. She raced in contention to upper stretch and tired.