The same issue that left Nyquist in the barn for almost a week after his April 2 Florida Derby victory will reportedly keep the colt from a rematch with Exaggerator in the June 11 Belmont Stakes.
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O’Neill said Nyquist’s owners had meant to run the horse in the Belmont.
A rematch in the Belmont on June 11 would have been the next best thing to a Triple Crown attempt. After setting a quick opening pace, Nyquist faded to third in Saturday’s Preakness Stakes at Pimlico, where he remains stabled.
The problem surfaced Monday when Nyquist ran a fever at “102 degrees and change”, O’Neill said, following his first career defeat. Last year, American Pharaoh became the first horse in 37 years to sweep the Derby, Preakness and Belmont.
“We’re really pleased with him”, said Julie Clark, trainer Keith Desormeaux’s assistant and girlfriend.
Nyquist, who led much of the race, finished third. “For races like these, horses have to be on top of their game, Unfortunately, there’ll be no Belmont”. He said the team, Reddam Racing, owned by Paul Reddam, was awaiting blood work results.
Without Nyquist, the 1 1/2-mile Belmont loses some of its luster, but Exaggerator can expect to take on a number of rivals from the Derby and Preakness. The last Kentucky Derby victor to avenge a Preakness loss with a Belmont win was Thunder Gulch in 1995 – only 11 horses have won the Kentucky Derby and Belmont but not the Preakness – while Afleet Alex in 2005 was the last horse (and 19th in history) to lose the Kentucky Derby but win the final two stages of the Triple Crown.
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When he’s healthy again, the plan is to ship him back to California, with a summer schedule that could include the Travers Stakes at Saratoga.
