Multiple Grade 1-placed Nitrous gave TAPIT something to celebrate on Thanksgiving Day when the 4-year-old colt kicked off the Fair Grounds meet with a 1 ½ length victory in the Thanksgiving Classic Stakes.
Trained by Steve Asmussen for Stonestreet Stables and Winchell Thoroughbreds, the multiple stakes-winning Nitrous raced a few lengths behind the leaders with one horse beat early on in the six furlong race. As they entered the final three furlongs, Nitrous picked up the pace and quickly started passing horses to position himself just behind the leaders as they entered the final two furlongs.
Nitrous drew even with Landeskog as they flew into the final furlong and easily took the lead in just a few strides. The colt’s win was under no threat in the final sixteenth with two rivals eating into his margin but never challenging as he stopped the clock in 1:09.78 for the six furlongs.
Now a three-time stakes winner, Nitrous has competed at the top level throughout his career, finishing third in the Hopeful Stakes (G1) as 2-year-old and second in the Woody Stephens (G1) last year. Bred by co-owner Winchell Thoroughbreds, the colt one of two winners from two to race out of multiple stakes winner Speedinthruthecity.
Nitrious is one of 138 stakes winners and 268 stakes horses for top sire TAPIT.