The Nashua (Grade 2)- $200.000 Purse
AQU- For Two Year Olds
One Mile on the Dirt
November 4, 2015

Night Rider Stables was disappointed that Dj Fireraj could not get a ticket to the BC Juvenile at KEE last weekend.  He had been on the bubble, and it appears as though he would have been in the race if the trainer included him on the also eligible list.   This horse was talented enough to be a threat in that race, but his lack of winning a big race instead of just being in the money in a few of them, such as the Champagne played a part in keeping him out.  As a second option, Night Rider Stables brought the gelding to AQU to take part in the Grade 2 Nashua.  We made him our pick, but was one of several horses that were hovering at the 5/1 mark when they went to post, and he would deliver.  The trainer wanted to be in the BC.  After all, who doesn’t?  But this will loom as a big win for Dj Fireraj.  Despite the potential he had shown, he still had only one win to his name before this.  Now, with a Nashua win in the bag, things will be looking up for him down the road as he reacquaints himself with those that did run in the Juvenile. It is the first win in the stake for both trainer and jockey, L Saez.  The race time of 1:35.18 was the second quickest in the stakes history.  Let’s take a look at how it was won.

1st- 4- Dj Fireraj (5/1)- Our eventual race winner was sharp out of the gate, but L Saez was not interested in the pace set up front by Eastern Townships and Plumes.  Instead, he would sit about two lengths behind them for the entire length of the long AQU backstretch, and even into the turn.  As they approached the exit of the turn, Dj Fireraj began to close the gap, and by the time they were at the top of the stretch, he had Plumes passed and was just about level with Eastern Townships.  It didn’t take him long to pass that one either, and with a furlong to go, he had taken the lead and pulled in front enough of a group them that all seemed as though they were going to finish a photo together.  He needed to be full of run, because Coup de Lyon made an impressive last gasp effort to try and catch him.  In the end, Dj Fireraj would pick up the victory! Congratulations to all of the connections.  Dj Fireraj is a two year old gelding by God O War and out of Angie Nah Pull Up, and is part some overall excellent autogen bloodlines.  He was bred in New York by Night Rider Stables, the only trainer for which he has ever known.

2nd- 2- Coup de Lyon (6/1)- The Nakamura Stables entry didn’t seem as though he would become such a threat in the early portion, running near the back and never really advancing until the top of the stretch.  Space would open up along the rail as several others on the track began to move down.  In other words, it was the exact kind of move that Nakamura Stables saw his filly have to hold off in the Tempted.  Both times, this move finishes second, and the trainer should be content with that.  Being along the rail kept him out of what seemed to be a very tight group to his outside.

3rd- 10- Swift Flyer (5/1)- D Davis broke the Mbo Racing Stable entry well out of the gate to the point where his outside post was never an issue.   He would be three wide for the early portions, the outside of Dj Fireraj, and about two to three lengths from the leaders.  Swift Flyer would maintain this position throughout the turn and into the stretch.  There were many in this with a chance to be second all the way to the wire, and Swift Flyer may have been the winner of that battle if it was not for the rather clear lane that Coup de Lyon would have along the rail.

4th- 6- Stolen Thunder (28/1)- The Riggins Racing entry was stalking the stalkers early, content to pretty much run by himself about four lengths from the lead. Usually he likes to come from way back, so the trainer had to be happy with the way things began.  In the turn, he looked to go wide of Swift Flyer, but ran into a problem in that the threesome that he wanted to get by was also coming down, forcing Stolen Thunder to go wider then M Franco probably wanted.

5th- 8- Eastern Townships (5/1)-   Excellent out of the gate for Chili King Stables, and would be the one to set the opening fractions.   The quarter would go in :22.97, and then the half :45.97.  At the top of the stretch, it looked liked several were poised to go by him, but he valiantly hung in there and stayed ahead of all but Dj Fireraj until half a furlong to go.  Then he slipped a bit.

6th- 9- Reindeer (7/1)- The Reindeer assumed Santa’s position early.  In other words, he was at the back of the pack for Triple T Racing. During the turn, C Velazquez declared “On, Reindeer!” and the colt tried to mount a charge.  In the final furlong and a half, Reindeer was simply running all out to the wire well considerably wide.  Unfortunately for the trainer, he ran out of time.

7th – 7- Plumes (4/1)- Made the betting favorite at still a good price, the Serenity Stables entry pressed the pace early with Eastern Townships running alongside him to the rail. He would maintain this position throughout the race it seemed, almost as if they were glued together.  This also meant that he never made any kind of advancement on anyone.  There will be better days for this one.

8th- 1- High Pride (7/1)- The Mb Stables entry got off to a fairly good start and would be alongside the eventual winner for the backstretch trip.  Maintained this ground much of the way, and looked to make his move at the top of the stretch.  At this point, it really seemed as though he was full of run.  He was just never able to get by Eastern Townships but doesn’t have any excuses, either.

9th- 3- Hollywood Ballet (24/1)- Towards the back and well out of it early for Alydar Stables, running alongside Full Mast.  He would win that battle, but would win no others, and settle for a next to last position.  He did begin to run well late, finding some room along the rail, and he did get closer to the pack, but the result can’t be sugar coated much more then that.

10th- 5- Full Mast (40/1)- Kept Hollywood Ballet company for the run down the backstretch.  The D J C Racing Stables entry was simply unable to muster any kind of advancement for the entire duration of the race.  It’s a disappointing result for a horse that seemed to be better then this coming in.

Track: Fast
Time: :22⁴  :45⁴  1:09⁴  1:35

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 4 – 2 Paid 38.70
$1 Trifecta: 4 – 2 – 10 Paid 486.40

Scratched: None

Winner and Exacta picked by NS

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES