Nitti goes last to first in San Juan Capistrano
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ARCADIA, Calif. - Nitti was last of five in Sunday’s Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano Stakes at Santa Anita when the field reached the finish line for the first time in the race of about 1 3/4 miles.
With Nitti positioned at the back in the turf marathon, jockey Armando Ayuso peeked at the tote board, noticing Time Song had set a quick pace of 1:10.72 for the first six furlongs.
Ayuso knew immediately that a closing move could be an effective strategy. He spent the next seven furlongs of the race utilizing the plan.
On the final turn, Ayuso urged Nitti closer to the front with a three-wide move, a rally that left Nitti clear by 2 1/2 lengths at the finish.
“I felt like it was perfect,” Ayuso said of Nitti’s journey through the track’s longest stakes race.
Nitti finished the San Juan Capistrano in 2:45.94 and earned a career-best 90 Beyer Speed Figure.
Nitti ($12) was not expected to win the $100,000 San Juan Capistrano.
Divin Propos, second in the Grade 3 San Luis Rey Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on turf at Santa Anita in his last start in California in March, was the 7-10 favorite. Balladeer, winner of the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship at 1 1/4 miles at Santa Anita in 2023, was the 3-1 second choice.
Time Song, dismissed at 7-1, set the pace to the final furlong before yielding to Nitti, who was last at the end of the backstretch when Ayuso urged the gelding.
“I was following” Divin Propos, Ayuso said. “When I decided to make the move, I saw [Divin Propos] didn’t have too much. I felt I was a winner right away.”
Hector Berrios rode Time Song, who held second in his graded stakes debut. The San Juan Capistrano was Time Song’s second start of the month. He was second in a starter allowance at a mile on turf June 7.
“He ran great,” said trainer Jonathan Thomas. “He did everything but win. Hector gave him a brilliant ride.”
Balladeer, who stalked Time Song throughout, offered no threat in the stretch, and finished third by 3 1/4 lengths. Divin Propos and Santa Barbarian tailed off and finished fourth and fifth after fading in the final half-mile.
Only five ran after For Arrogate, Maltese Falcon, and Mrs. Astor were scratched. Mrs. Astor, trained by Thomas, won the Possibly Perfect Stakes for fillies and mares on Saturday.
Nitti, a 4-year-old Irish-bred gelding by the Makfi stallion Make Believe, had his stakes debut in the San Juan Capistrano. Nitti began the year as a maiden after losing his first seven starts in Ireland and California in 2023 and 2024.
Nitti won his first start this year in a maiden race at 1 1/8 miles on turf in January and won an allowance race at 1 1/8 miles on May 3, the first time that Ayuso was aboard.
Nitti, trained by Leonard Powell for the partnership of Innergy Racing, Zephyr Racing, and Sonny Pais, has won 3 of 12 starts and earned $151,398.
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