Immersive returned to her winning ways with a determined two-length victory in the Listed Seneca Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs on Saturday, Sept. 20.
The win was the first of the year for the Champion daughter of Nyquist. Given some time off at the end of her undefeated juvenile season, Immersive had made two starts prior to the Seneca, finishing second in both the Monomoy Girl Overnight Stakes and the G1 Coaching Club American Oaks.
The $107,200 winner’s share of the purse increased the Godolphin homebred’s earnings to $1,729,900 with an overall record of 5-2-0 in seven starts.
Immersive dictated the terms and led the field of five through unpressured and comfortable early splits of :24.10, :48.16 and 1:12.32 with graded stakes-placed Liam in the Dust, on the outside, and recent Saratoga maiden winner Ivory and Ebony, along the rail, chasing the leader.
Leaving the far turn, Ivory and Ebony rushed to challenge the leader through an opening along the inside and briefly poked her head in front. Immersive and Ivory and Ebony raced shoulder-to-shoulder in upper stretch before the class of Immersive prevailed and she started to pull away through the final furlong, winning comfortably.
Bred in Kentucky, Immersive is out of Gap Year, a winning daughter of former Darley stalwart, Bernardini. Gap Year is a daughter of the multiple Graded Stakes winner, Dubai Escapade, winner of the G1 Ballerina, G2 Vinery Madison Stakes and G2 Vagrancy. The family also includes G1 winner Madcap Escapade, dam of fellow G1 winner, Mi Sueno.
Immersive became the second Stakes winner of the weekend for Nyquist, who is having another tremendous year. On Friday, Nyquist’s four-year-old son, Encino, captured the Presque Isle Mile Stakes, his fourth career Stakes victory. Nyquist is the sire of three G1 winners so far this season – Argos (G1 Summer Stakes), Cavalieri (G1 Beholder Mile) and Velocity (G1 Del Mar Oaks). He is also the sire of additional 2025 Graded Stakes winners Nysos (G2), Verity (G2), Crimson Advocate (G2), Tenma (G2), Gosger (G3) and Randomized (G3).
