Nic's Style Looks to Keep Winning in Hurricane Bertie

Nic's Style looks to secure her first graded stakes win in the $165,000 Hurricane Bertie Stakes (G3) March 8 at Gulfstream Park. The 5-year-old daughter of Uncaptured takes on six other fillies and mares in the 6 1/2-furlong sprint, including multiple graded stakes-winner Spirit Wind. Nic's Style has won three consecutive stakes races for owner Stephen Rousseau and trainer Bill Mott, most recently winning the Minaret Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs Feb. 8. She's never been off the board in seven career starts, with her only defeat coming in the Gallant Bloom Stakes (G2) where she finished second to Ways and Means. Junior Alvarado has the mount. Spirit Wind makes her 2025 debut for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. and Miller Racing. Her most recent win came in the Pointsettia Stakes at Oaklawn Park Dec. 21. She ran third to Red Carpet Ready in last year's Hurricane Bertie. Joseph also sends out R Disaster, who ran second to Nic's Style in the Florida Sire Stakes Dec. 14, and Save Time, who just broke her maiden Feb. 13 at Gulfstream. "She's a very consistent mare (Spirit Wind). She was good horse before we got her and she's carried on to be a good mare," said Saffie Joseph Jr. who took over training the Florida-bred mare following a private purchase a year ago. "She likes Gulfstream. She's back here now. Six-and-a-half (furlongs) is probably the max distance-wise, but it's well within her reach. Hopefully, she'll put it a big performance. "They're both forward-running horses (Spirit Wind and R Disaster) - that's why we put Save Time in there - if the race falls apart. Save Time is not fast on numbers, but I really like that horse. She hasn't shown it yet, but I really like that horse a lot." Into Champagne makes her return to the races for Six Column Stables, last seen finishing seventh in the 2024 Kentucky Oaks (G1) May 3 behind 2024 Horse of The Year Thorpedo Anna. The Ian Wilkes-trainee will be ridden by John Velazquez. "Being a little older against a better class of horse now makes it a little tougher," Wilkes said. "But she has been working well. I think she is stronger now than she was last year. We took a shot in the Oaks. We all knew in the back of our minds that it was a bit far for her," Wilkes said. "We'll stay at the sprinting distance now. Anywhere from six to seven furlongs will be ideal for her." Ruthless Rua ran third behind Nic's Style in the Minaret Stakes. Edwin Gonzalez will be in the irons for Paterpop Racing.