Undefeated Nyquist headlines Derby
A year after American Pharoah thrilled the sports world by winning horse racing’s first Triple Crown in 37 years, here comes Nyquist.
The colt named for Detroit Red Wings player Gustav Nyquist is looking like a worthy successor to a sport eager to retain the new fans it gained during American Pharoah’s sweep of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes. Nyquist was last year’s 2-year-old champion, capping his season with a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
Now he is expected to be the favorite for the 142nd Kentucky Derby next Saturday. The colt brings a 7-0 career record into Churchill Downs.
No less an expert than fourtime Derby-winning trainer Bob Baffert thinks Nyquist is the horse to beat in the 1 ¼ - mile race.
“He hasn’t done anything wrong at all,” said Baffert, who oversaw now-retired American Pharoah. “You have Nyquist and you have a lot of horses underneath.”
Nyquist comes into America’s greatest race off a five- week break, winning the Florida Derby in his final prep. He beat another undefeated horse, Mohaymen, who finished fourth. With $3.28 million, Nyquist is the top earner among the contenders vying to wear the garland of red roses.
Nyquist is backed by an experienced team: owner J. Paul Reddam, trainer Doug O’Neill and jockey Mario Gutierrez. The Southern California-based trio won the 2012 Derby and Preakness with I’ll Have Another, who was stunningly retired on the eve of the Belmont with a leg injury, dashing the sport’s Triple Crown hopes.
“I hope I have the same ending as I’ll Have Another, at least the first two legs,” O’Neill said. “It’s a little bit more enjoyable this time because we’ve been there before and we can kind of soak it up a little bit more.”
Nyquist will need some luck running in an expected full field of 20 horses. The final lineup won’t be known until Wednesday, when entries are drawn and post positions are assigned.
“To me, it’s not a stellar field like it was last year,” said Ken Ramsey, who owns contender Oscar-Nominated. “So it’s wide open.”