Immersive comes back on the inside to overtake Shred the Gnar, Courtney Snow/ Past The Wire
Churchill Downs Press
Immersive, the Champion 2-Year-Old Filly of 2024, went right to the front in a battle with Grade I winner Shred the Gnar, lost the lead with three furlongs to run and then battled back along the inside to regain command and hold off a fast-closing Regaled to win Saturday’s 51st running of the $483,500 Fasig-Tipton Fleur de Lis (Grade II) at Churchill Downs – a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (GI) – by three-quarters of a length.
Immersive clocked 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.51 on a “sloppy” track under Irad Ortiz Jr., who rode the winner for trainer Brad Cox and owner/breeder Godolphin LLC.
“She ran like the champion we know she is,” Cox said. “She really dug in late, was traveling well and responded well to Irad late to get by (Shred the Gnar) and then hold off (Regaled).”
In a compact field of four after the scratch of Splendora, Immersive shot to the front out of the gate and raced two paths off the rail along the inside with Shred the Gnar on her right hip every step of the way through splits of :23.38 and :47.08. Regaled and In Just My Heels lagged more than eight lengths behind the dueling leaders.
Around the final turn after six furlongs in 1:11.12, Shred the Gnar poked her nose in front as Immersive came under a drive. The two battled shoulder to shoulder in upper stretch but Shred the Gnar became weary and Immersive re-rallied along the rail and took back the lead with a furlong to the finish. An oncoming Regaled threatened late with a wide closing kick but could not catch Immersive, who was all out for the victory.
“She got into a good rhythm on the lead and really fought hard to win today,” Ortiz Jr. said.
Immersive paid $5.34 and $3.24 as the 8-5 second betting choice (note: there was no show wagering). Regaled, with jockey Tyler Gaffalione aboard, paid $4.18 at odds of 9-2. Shred the Gnar finished third and In Just My Heels was fourth.
Immersive, a daughter of 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist out of the Bernardini mare Gap Year, improved her record to 6-4-0 in 10 starts, and the $308,500 first prize boosted her career earnings to $2,262,400.
She also earned a guaranteed spot in the starting gate for the $2 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (GI) on Saturday, Oct. 31 at Keeneland. Also, her connections will have all Breeders’ Cup pre-entry and entry fees covered and could receive a travel award up to $10,000.
Prior to the Fleur de Lis, 4-year-old Kentucky-bred filly Immersive finished second to Splendora in the $300,000 Shawnee (GII) at Churchill Downs on May 30. During her 2-year-old championship season, she won $300,000 Spinaway (GI), $600,000 Alcibiades (GI) and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI). After a pair of runner-up finishes at age 3, she won the $175,000 Seneca Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs last September.
