Following a championship season as a 3-year-old filly in 2022, Nest returned with the same brilliance in her first start at 4, winning the July 23 Shuvee Stakes (G2) at Saratoga Race Course.

Starting for the first time in 8 1/2 months, the daughter of Curlin took command leaving the second turn and comfortably turned back a rally of Clairiere, one of the country’s top older females on dirt. Nest pulled clear under Irad Ortiz Jr., crossing the wire 2 1/4 lengths in front.

Owned by Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House, the Curlin filly notched her sixth graded score and third stakes victory at Saratoga, adding to victories last year in the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) and Alabama Stakes (G1).

Absent from the entries for the first half of 2023, Nest got a later start than intended by Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher after she became sick in the spring and missed training. But she returned ready in the Shuvee, showing the class that was evident last year when she took on males last year in the final leg of the Triple Crown and was second in the Belmont Stakes (G1).

“More than worth the wait,” co-owner Mike Repole said. “At the end of the day, you want a horse like this best for the last four races of the year, not the first four. She had a huge 3-year-old campaign. We wanted to get her back in June on Belmont Day but Todd just thought she needed a little bit more time.”

Nest suffered her first defeat at Saratoga on Aug. 25 when she finished third over a sloppy track in the Personal Ensign (G1) beaten 4 1/4 lengths. Nest failed to fire again in her next start, the Juddmonte Spinster (G1) at Keeneland on Oct. 8 when she finished a non-threatening fourth of six in the 1 1/8-mile race and coming in 11 ¼ lengths behind the victorious Idiomatic.

The year-end goal for Nest is the Nov. 4 Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) at Santa Anita Park. She competed in the same race at Keeneland last fall, but finished fourth as the favorite, beaten 3 ¼ lengths.