Nest Likely to Run in BC Distaff, Could Race at 5

There may be a date with the boys in the future for the champion filly Nest , but it will most likely take place next year.

Mike Repole of Repole Stable and Aron Wellman, president and founder of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, both said July 26 that the remainder of the 2023 campaign for the 4-year-old daughter of Curlin   would probably consist of three more stakes against fillies and mares: the Aug. 25 Personal Ensign Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course, followed by the Spinster Stakes (G1) at Keeneland in October, and capped by the Nov. 4 Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) at Santa Anita Park.

Nest, last year's champion 3-year-old filly for trainer Todd Pletcher owned by Repole, Eclipse, and Michael House, won her 2023 debut July 23, beating four-time grade 1 winner and $3 million earner Clairiere  by 2 1/4 lengths in the Shuvee Stakes (G2) at Saratoga Race Course, her first start since a fourth in the Nov. 5 Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1).

"Getting her started in July allows for a much more kind campaign and if she cooperates, and we take nothing for granted, the Personal Ensign to the Spinster to the Breeders' Cup Distaff would be a logical campaign for her," Wellman said. "Running against the boys is compelling and we're sportsmen, but right now we're looking at her schedule as a blessing to hopefully have her as fresh as we possibly can for the Breeders' Cup and the Distaff."

Repole said since the $2 million earner finished fourth as the favorite in last year's Distaff, he wanted to add a Breeders' Cup victory to a sterling resume that includes three grade 1 wins and a second against males in last year's Belmont Stakes (G1).

"She does the things that .001% horses can do. She's a very, very special filly," he said. "It will be a very special back end of the year for her. If we would have won the Distaff, you could make a case for the (Breeders' Cup) Classic (G1), but I think she deserves to run against fillies. It's the right move."

In addressing future plans, Repole added that if Nest maintains her form through the Breeders' Cup, he would consider racing her at 5 with a campaign designed to tackle males in some of the sport's premier stakes. Repole said he would be willing to buy out his partners if all three sides cannot agree on a 2024 campaign.

Both Repole and Wellman indicated that the winner of 8 of 12 starts is slated to be offered at one of the two premier November sales: the Fasig-Tipton November Sale and the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

At that point, based on how the current owners respond to the bidding, they will each decide whether to retain or sell their shares in the filly.

"Next year I'd like to bring her back and race against the boys. If the other owners want to sell her, we'll put her in the sale and if the price is $6 million, I'll buy her and race her myself so the other owners get their money. If someone else bids $12 million, she's theirs," Repole said. "When you have a filly this valuable, the respectful thing is to run her through the ring and if one of the people want to buy her then they could do it. That's being a good partner. "

Wellman said entering Nest in one of the November sales was the best way to ascertain her value so that Eclipse and its partners can decide if the time is right to sell her.

"You have to be prudent and treat it like a business. There are not many mares on the planet who would ever come to the market with the profile she has. She is arguably one of the, if not the, most valuable broodmare prospects in the world at the moment," Wellman said. "She has been a joy to be associated with and we are going to enjoy the ride for as long as we can, but we have to be fair to the filly and to our (Eclipse) partners' best interests as well. We are in a slightly different financial position than Mike Repole. It is always a difficult situation trying to walk a fine line between the emotion of being attached to such a magnificent filly and to keep your wits and be responsible from a financial situation.

"There is no better determination of a horse's value than putting it through a public auction and her value will be determined by the drop of a hammer and that's the most sensible and accurate way to determine her value."

Wellman said representatives from the two most prominent sales companies have already reached out about entering her in their sale.

"The who's who of the breeding community will be interested in her," he said. "They are both great companies with great leadership and there's no doubt she is draft choice number one in November and she is being pursued as such."