Despite his best effort Gun Runner’s stay on the lead was brief as Nyquist quickly opened daylight on him and controlled the race to the wire for a length and a quarter victory over the late charge of Exaggerator. He failed to last the distance, unlike Nyquist, who had plenty left to hold off the rally of Exaggerator.
Advertisement
Nyquist is now 8-for-8 in his career and becomes just the second horse to win both the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at age 2 and the Kentucky Derby at 3, joining Street Since in 2006.
Also under consideration for the Preakness are two more Derby runners, Gun Runner (third) and Suddenbreakingnews (fifth), as well as Azteca, Adventist and Fellowship.
Several online bookmakers have listed a yes or no prop bet on whether Nyquist will capture the Triple Crown, which winds up with the Belmont Stakes in NY in early June.
Dylan Buell/Getty Images Nyquist crosses the finish line to win the 142nd running of the Kentucky Derby.
“You just felt there was no way you could be nervous because you just felt like you were going in the gym with Kobe Bryant”, O’Neill said after Saturday’s race.
“I’m glad the horse is doing OK”. That’s because the horse, with his experience with him over the year, has indicated he is something special. “Although next time there will be a horse race again and we’ll find out why he can’t win the Preakness”.
“I mean, we were under the radar back then, but now with Nyquist unbeaten and Mario a proven Derby victor, we knew there was a big target on the jockey’s back”. Niall broke and trained Kentucky Derby winner Orb and Belmont Stakes winner Palace Malice, while Ian broke and trained Preakness winner Oxbow.
Dazzling Gem captured his first two career starts at Oaklawn this year before finishing third behind Gun Runner in the Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds and fourth behind Creator in the Arkansas Derby (G1).
It was the second Derby win for the team of owner J. Paul Reddam, trainer Doug O’Neill and jockey Mario Gutierrez.
South Surrey horse-owner Glen Todd – for whom Gutierrez rode during his time at Hastings Park Racecourse – said his protege “rode a great race” and was lucky enough to have a lightning-quick horse, too.
Three races later, Navarro was back in the winner’s circle after Sharp Azteca took the $250,000 Pat Day Mile for 3-year-olds at 13-1.
“He’ll be part of six horses we send up there, including the filly”, he said.
“What a horse”, Keith Desormeaux, the trainer for Exaggerator, said.
All week, optimism filled the air in O’Neill’s barn. “And [exercise rider] Johnny Garcia, who gets on him every day, he’s been saying for a while now that this horse is so strong and does everything so easy and, you know, he’s never exhausted”. O’Neill would love to have another Triple Crown opportunity. Nyquist came into Louisville a week before the Derby after training at Keeneland in nearby Lexington. “Today, Nyquist was going to go as fast as he needed to go”. Affirmed won the Triple Crown in 1978.
Our Super Screener goal is to produce an insightful analysis of the race and a thorough analysis of each horse as they rate against our Super Screener criteria.
Advertisement
Others who went to the track during the 5:45-6 a.m. EDT period set aside for Derby horses included Lani, Danzing Candy, and Trojan Nation.
