2026.03.11 Oaklawn Racing Updates

Racing Updates
Compiled by Robert Yates

Wednesday, March 11, 2026

Champion Nitrogen’s major spring objective remains the same, despite a hiccup last weekend at Oaklawn.

Dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse said Nitrogen will make her next start in the $1.25 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) for older fillies and mares April 11 after a third-place finish in Saturday’s Azeri Stakes (G2).

Nitrogen, the 1-5 favorite under regular rider Jose Ortiz, was beaten 1 ¾ lengths by Majestic Oops in the 1 1/16-mile Azeri, a $400,000 event that served as the final major local prep for the Apple Blossom.

Racing over a sloppy, sealed surface, Nitrogen appeared poised to take command late on the second turn, but she couldn’t hold off Majestic Oops in the stretch and was caught late by Regaled.

Nitrogen was North America’s champion 3-year-old filly of 2025 and opened her 4-year-old campaign with a victory in the $250,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 7.

“Jose said he thought she was much more tired this race than the last one, which, really, from a fitness standpoint, it doesn’t make sense, right?” Casse said Tuesday afternoon. “We always thought she would need the first one. She’s a big filly and the track was a little funny. Maybe she was just tired.”

The 1 1/16-mile Apple Blossom is a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1). Nitrogen, in her final start at 3, finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff Nov. 1 at Del Mar.

Casse said he “definitely” has a second Apple Blossom candidate in Nerazurri, who has won three of four starts at the meeting, including two stakes. Nerazurri’s only loss this season at Oaklawn was a runner-up finish behind Nitrogen in the Bayakoa.

Nerazurri’s ascent comes at the same time as Casse loses millionaire multiple Grade 1 winner La Cara, who was retired following a fifth-place finish in the Azeri. Casse said La Cara, by 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, will be bred to Not This Time.

La Cara, based at Oaklawn since December, opened 2026 with a fifth-place finish in the Houston Ladies Classic (G3) Jan. 24 at Sam Houston Race Park for breeder/owner Tracy Farmer. The 1 1/16-race was run over a muddy, sealed surface.

“I felt like she went into that race (Azeri) as good as she could go,” Casse said. “Unfortunately for her, we never got a fast track. But she’s a multiple Grade 1 winner and it (retirement) just seemed to make the most sense. That was decided yesterday.”

Millionaire multiple Oaklawn stakes winner Quietside was also retired after finishing seventh in the Azeri, according to a social media post Tuesday from Shortleaf Stable (Arkansan John Ed Anthony), which bred and raced the 4-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon. Quietside is to be bred to Nyquist.

Publishing Different Results

Publisher made news last year as a maiden, bankrolling a lot of money running in graded stakes races for 3-year-olds like the Kentucky Derby (G1), Arkansas Derby (G1), Indiana Derby (G3) and Oklahoma Derby (G3).

A new year has brought new results for the former 12-race maiden.

Publisher moved to two-for-two in 2026 with a neck victory in Saturday’s 10th race, a $125,000 first-level allowance for older horses at 1 1/16 miles.

Publisher, under Erik Asmussen, waited for racing room on the second turn, grabbed a narrow lead in midstretch, lost the lead inside the sixteenth pole, then battled back on the outside to prevail by a neck. Publisher ($3.40) was the odds-on favorite in the race run over a sloppy, sealed surface.

“How about that?” Steve Asmussen, Publisher’s Hall of Fame trainer, said Sunday morning. “Two in a row. It’s good to see him win, it really is. He’s a nice horse. Deserves it to go his way.”

Runner-up in the Arkansas Derby, Publisher broke his maiden by 5 ¾ lengths Feb. 15 at Oaklawn. That race, contested over a muddy, sealed surface, was also 1 1/16 miles. Overall, Publisher has a 14-2-4-3 record and earnings of $634,396.

Asmussen trains Publisher for Gus King and the estate of Brereton C. Jones. King purchased Publisher for $600,000 in 2023 at Fasig-Tipton’s Saratoga Select Yearling Sale. Asmussen said next-race plans are pending for Publisher, a son of 2015 Triple Crown and multiple Oaklawn stakes winner American Pharoah.

“Obviously, very happy with both of them (victories),” Asmussen said. “He is obviously capable and would be interesting to see where he goes from here. Obviously, we’re happy with how he runs at Oaklawn and expect him to run back here.”

Finish Lines

Racing resumes Thursday at Oaklawn. First post is 12:30 p.m. CDT. … Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott moved to 3-1-0 in four starts at the meeting with favored Stars and Stripes in Sunday’s eighth race, a $126,000 allowance for older horses at 1 1/8 miles. Stars and Stripes ($3.60) ran 1 1/8 miles over a good track in a meet-best 1:49.36. Jockey Luis Saez was aboard for the three-quarter length victory. … Saez also won Sunday’s ninth and final race aboard favored Caroom’s Croupier ($4.20) to give trainer Kyle Deville his second career victory. Deville’s first career victory came Feb. 22 at Oaklawn with Front Runnin, who was elevated from second to first because of stretch interference involving Our Two Girls, the original winner. … Deville, who went out on his own earlier this year, is scheduled to have his first career Oaklawn stakes starter in Front Runnin, one of seven horses entered in Saturday’s six-furlong $150,000 Purple Martin for 3-year-old fillies. … Unbeaten River Wind is the 2-1 Purple Martin program favorite for trainer Norm Casse. … Millionaire multiple Oaklawn stakes winner Tejano Twist is the 5-2 program favorite for Saturday’s six-furlong $250,000 Whitmore Stakes (G3) for older horses. Chris Hartman trains Tejano Twist and Wendelssohn, the 3-1 second choice in the program. … Through Sunday, Day 33 of the meeting, 253 claims totaled $5,320,000, according to statistics released by Oaklawn.