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Proof of filly’s excellence with every bottle Ky Senator Bourbon’s Thoroughbred Legacy Series pays tribute to champion Nitrogen in its first release
October 7, 2026
LEXINGTON, Ky. — When Kentucky Senator Bourbon sought to create a private-barrel Thoroughbred Legacy Series, the award-winning small-batch bourbon reached for the stars for the inaugural subject: D.J. Stable’s champion filly Nitrogen.
The 113-proof bourbon — selected and bottled by Potter Jane Distilling Company of Springfield, Ky., for Kentucky Senator Spirits — commemorates the multiple champion favored for the $2 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Oct. 31 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington.
“Nitrogen’s name says it all,” said Andre Regard, the prominent equine attorney who co-founded Kentucky Senator Spirits with then-Kentucky Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer. “Even in her early training, Hall of Famer Mark Casse said that the filly ‘breathes different air,’ hence her name. She’s the perfect horse to kick off our Thoroughbred Legacy Series, which toasts Kentucky’s two iconic industries: horses and bourbon. As we say on the label of Nitrogen bourbon, ‘This private single-barrel bourbon pays tribute to Nitrogen’s fearless spirit, exceptional balance and championship heart. Like the filly herself, it is bold, refined and unforgettable.’”
Off her Sept. 25 triumph in the Grade 2 Beldame at New York’s recreated Belmont Park, the 4-year-old Nitrogen has nine victories over seven tracks in 18 career starts, along with six seconds and three thirds for earnings exceeding $3 million while excelling on dirt, turf and in the mud.
Nitrogen’s victories include a stunning 12 3/4-length romp in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Stakes and last year’s dominant Alabama (G1) over Kentucky Oaks winner Good Cheer at Saratoga in her first start on dirt. Her runner-up performance in the prestigious Whitney Stakes (G1) only enhanced her reputation when second to reigning Horse of the Year Sovereignty while defeating winners of a Breeders’ Cup Classic, Dubai World Cup, the Jockey Club Gold Cup and two other millionaire older males.
“We may never have another horse like Nitrogen,” said Jon Green, D.J. Stable’s general manager who owns the high-end breeding and racing operation with his father, Len. “Having a Nitrogen Legacy Series bourbon is one way to continue to celebrate and toast her for years to come. When trying to breed a champion, pedigree match-ups are so important. The same is true with business relationships, and it’s been great working with Kentucky Senator Bourbon. We’re honored to have Nitrogen as the first Legacy release, and our family looks forward to sharing Nitrogen Bourbon and the pectacular bottles with friends, clients, industry charities and for life’s unexpected special occasions.”
Nitrogen is the overwhelming favorite to again be crowned a champion after her third season of racing, following Canada’s Sovereign Award for 2-year-old filly and North America’s Eclipse Award for last year’s top 3-year-old filly. She’ll have every opportunity to further grow her legacy as D.J. Stable, which also bred the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro, has announced she’ll race next year.
The Thoroughbred Legacy Series, whose individual bottles are not for sale to the public, provides a distinctive way for industry connections to honor their favorite horses, farms or any equine image of their choosing. The Legacy bourbons will be aged for a minimum of six years while distilled, aged and bottled in the Bluegrass State. Each Legacy release will be customized to make the bottles as unique as its honoree and Kentucky Senator Bourbon, including the subject’s bio on the back label. In the case of Nitrogen, the 113 proof is a shout-out to her highest career Beyer speed figure when the release was produced. Nitrogen’s picture is prominently displayed on the front of the bottle, with the D.J. Stable’s maroon silks with white diamonds included on the back.
“The Legacy Series is ideal for promoting a cherished horse or equine operation, creating one-of-a-kind gifts for family, friends, partners or clients, as well as a fun and effective way to promote the bottle subject,” said Thayer, now a horse-racing adviser and advocate who spearheaded transformative legislation for both the bourbon and horse industries during his 22 years in the Kentucky Legislature. “We guarantee that every private barrel will be distilled, aged and bottled with care and passion as we create a fitting tribute for a beloved horse or property.”
The Nitrogen Legacy Series features Kentucky Senator Bourbon selected and bottled by Potter Jane from one of the best aged barrels of Kentucky Senator Bourbon stock stored at the Springfield distillery. The Nitrogen release has been aged nine years, regarded as a sweet spot for maturity and oak influence.
Since its first release in 2021, Kentucky Senator Bourbon quickly earned the reputation for serving up great bourbon with a side of Kentucky history. Each Kentucky Senator release is named for a U.S. Senator from the Commonwealth, with the 2026 edition commemorating the late Jim Bunning, the only person elected to both baseball’s Hall of Fame and the U.S. Senate. Bottled at the classic 107 proof, Kentucky Senator Bourbon is at least six years old, the length of a U.S. Senate term, with many releases clocking in with higher aging statements.
The 2025 release honoring Kentucky’s U.S. Senator John Brown (elected 1792) was awarded a Double Gold Medal at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, one of the most prestigious and influential spirits competitions in the world. The accolade solidified Kentucky Senator Bourbon’s reputation for crafting exceptional small-batch whiskey that stands out in today’s competitive spirits landscape.
The Kentucky Senator brand was originally distilled and bottled by Crigler & Crigler in Covington, Ky., then by Double Springs Distillers Inc. in Bardstown. The brand revival of the vintage Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is led by Regard and Thayer, who bring their unique backgrounds in bourbon to the management team. Regard is a descendant of bourbon legend Basil Hayden, and Thayer is a member of the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame.
More information on Kentucky Senator Bourbon and its principals Regard and Thayer at KySenatorBourbon.com.
Media contact:
Damon Thayer
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ABOUT KENTUCKY SENATOR BOURBON
Kentucky Senator Bourbon is an award-winning small-batch Bourbon brand committed to crafting exceptional spirits with a side of American history. Each limited-edition release is named after a U.S. Senator and represents a blend of tradition, character and U.S. heritage; it is distilled and aged in Kentucky for at least six years (the same length as a U.S. senate term), but often longer.
Founded by Andre Regard and Damon Thayer, Kentucky Senator Bourbon revives a historic brand once produced by Crigler and Crigler in Covington and later Double Springs Distillers in Bardstown. The brand launched its first revival release in 2021 and has since become known for producing richly aged, 107-proof Bourbon expressions that connect past and present.
Awards & Recognition
- Kentucky Senator Bourbon's inaugural release, the Alben W. Barkley Release, was highlighted in Forbes' Online Magazine https://www.forbes.
com/sites/fredminnick/2021/03/ 11/new-200-bourbon-leans- right/ - Fred Minnick, a noted Bourbon author, ranked Kentucky Senator Bourbon in his Top 100 Whiskeys of 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2025
- Kentucky Senator Bourbon has won multiple Gold ASCOT Awards for taste and a Double Platinum ASCOT Award for marketing and brand design
- Kentucky Senator Bourbon recently won its first Double Gold medal from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition for its 2024 John Brown release
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