Hail to the Nile notched his first stakes win in front-running style in Saturday’s Dixie Poker Ace S., a mainstay on the turf stakes circuit at venerable Fair Grounds Race Course.
The 5-year-old by Pioneerof the Nile, bred in Louisiana by Warren Harang III, set some solid fractions of 23.74 and 48.01 seconds through the first half-mile. Next Event put in a bid for the lead in the stretch, but Hail to the Nile had plenty left in the tank and drew off to a 1 ¾-length win in 1:36.20 for the mile on the firm turf.
Racing primarily on the turf, Hail to the Nile is 5-6-3 in 25 starts for his owner Valene Farms. The winner is a half-brother to Longacres Mile (G3) winner No Giveaway and four-time stakes winner Youcan’ttakeme.
Last year’s leading Third-Crop Sire Pioneerof the Nile already has a trio of stakes horses this year.
