▁space ▁between ▁" P ione er " ▁and ▁" of ". ▁ ▁At ▁a ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁year ling ▁au ction , ▁the ▁as - y et - unn amed ▁ ▁the ▁N ile ▁was ▁bought ▁back ▁by ▁Z ay at ▁for ▁$ 2 9 0 , 0 0 0 ▁after ▁failing ▁to ▁achieve ▁b ids ▁comm ens ur ate ▁with ▁the ▁owner ' s ▁expect ations . ▁ ▁He ▁m ature d ▁to ▁stand ▁. ▁ ▁Racing ▁career ▁▁ 2 0 0 8 : ▁two - year - old - season ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁two - year - old , ▁ ▁the ▁N ile ▁deb uted ▁August ▁ 4 , ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁in ▁a ▁Ma iden ▁Special ▁We ight ▁( 1 ▁ 1 / 1 6 ▁of ▁a ▁mile ▁on ▁tur f ) ▁at ▁Sar at oga , ▁where ▁he ▁finished ▁fourth , ▁be aten ▁by ▁two ▁lengths ▁and ▁a ▁half . ▁His ▁next ▁race ▁was ▁on ▁August ▁ 2 5 , ▁another ▁ 1 ▁ 1 / 1 6 ▁of ▁a ▁mile ▁tur f ▁Ma iden ▁Special ▁We ight ▁at ▁Sar at oga . ▁He ▁jump ed ▁in ▁the ▁air ▁at ▁the ▁break , ▁and ▁stayed ▁in ▁sevent h ▁of ▁the ▁nine ▁horse ▁field , ▁before ▁moving ▁up ▁and ▁challeng ing ▁for ▁the ▁lead ▁on ▁the ▁turn , ▁gain ing ▁the ▁lead ▁off ▁of ▁the ▁turn , ▁and ▁going ▁on ▁to ▁win ▁by ▁a ▁length , ▁with ▁a ▁time ▁of ▁ 1 : 4 1