Nyquist

After finishing fifth and seventh, respectively, in Saturday's GII Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn Park, Tracy Farmer's La Cara (Street Sense--Cara Caterina, by Bernardini) and Shortleaf Stable's Quietside (Malibu Moon--Benner Island, by Speightstown) have each been retired. La Cara, a homebred for Farmer conditioned by Mark Casse, won both the GI Central Bank Ashland Stakes and GI DK Horse Acorn Stakes in 2025, in addition to the 2024 GIII Pocahontas Stakes and last year's Suncoast Stakes. The now-4-year-old bay made two starts in 2026, finishing off the board each time. She...

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis OCALA, FL - With brisk activity at the top of the market, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training opened Tuesday with a lively day of trade topped by a $1.35-million son of Corniche. The colt was one of three to bring seven figures during the session. The entire 2025 March sale produced seven million-dollar juveniles. "Certainly an excellent day," said OBS president Tom Ventura. "We had a lot of activity in the barns during the week and expected that...

A colt by Nyquist (hip 88) out of Argentinian champion older mare La Extrana Dama (Arg) was the first horse to cross the seven-figure threshold at the OBS March Sale's opening session Tuesday, bringing a final bid of $1.2-million from a partnership that includes Marquee Bloodstock And Morplay Racing. Consigned by Ciaran Dunne's Wavertree Stables, the Kentucky-bred colt worked his furlong in a sharp :9 4/5. Bred by De La Pomme Kentucky Inc, he was initially purchased as a yearling out of the Keeneland September Sale last year for $170,000...

A filly by Nyquist and colt by Yaupon realized the co-fastest eighth in :9 3/5 on Day 2 of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March 2-year-old in Training Sale's under-tack show on Thursday. Offered as Hip 391, the day's fastest-working colt is out of unraced Stand Back (Giant's Causeway), the dam of Grade II winner Step Forward (Speightstown). The Florida-bred hails from the family of Grade I winners Cavorting (Bernardini) and Clairiere (Curlin). He is consigned by Raul and Martha Reyes' Kings Equine. "I expected something good, but we never...

By now, no doubt, it must be among my most wearily familiar complaints. Only last week, in fact, I was again lamenting the days when old-school trainers would start Classic campaigns round one turn, gaining sharpness and conditioning without entering a stress zone. Nowadays those benefits are forfeited by the twin imperatives of hiding horses in their stalls, even as they need GI Kentucky Derby points. Those points being unavailable in sprints, the defining test of the American Thoroughbred has duly been shorn of raw speed. Other traditionalists presumably shared...

by Christina Bossinakis & Patrycja Szpyra Cherokee Nation (Not This Time) took six starts to break his maiden, but he'd been facing quality rivals in the lead up to his graduation party last Friday. Now, his connections report that elite contests are in the colt's future with their eyes specifically turned toward the GI Santa Anita Derby. "When the kids go to school, they have fancy Friday and [last] Friday was a fancy Friday for us," said co-owner Tom Ryan. "We're typically looking at Saturday afternoon, but we were very...

HOT SPRINGS, Ark.--A strong tradition for any Kentucky Derby hopeful along the campaign trail to May is passing the two turn test. With distance in mind, owners and trainers are looking for their nominees to stretch their legs, embrace the debate that comes in the form of traffic and find ways to grind out a hard-earned victory. At Oaklawn Park in the GII Rebel Stakes on Sunday, WinStar, First Go Racing and CHC Inc. owned colt Class President (Uncle Mo--Top Quality, by Quality Road) proved best at the wire as...

St. Elias Stable, William H. Lawrence and Glassman Racing's Iron Honor (Nyquist) earned 50 points to the Kentucky Derby when winning Saturday's GIII Gotham at Aqueduct. According to Michele Dollase, assistant to trainer Chad Brown, the colt came out of the race in good order. "He came out of the race great. He ate up and looks good this morning," said Dollase. "We're on to the next race. As of right now, he is good. He came out of the race really good." Brown said post-race he will keep the...

Big-figure debut winner Iron Honor (c, 3, Nyquist--Orencia, by Blame) fought past the Ohio-bred Crown the Buckeye (Yaupon) in the stretch to make it two-for-two in Saturday's GIII Gotham S. at Aqueduct, good for 50 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Right to Party (Constitution) was third. Favored at 4-5 off the strength of a 95 Beyer Speed Figure earned sprinting first out over two next-out winners at the Big A Dec. 13, Iron Honor battled with Crown the Buckeye through fractions of :23.09 and :46.30 in the...

Godolphin homebred and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Knightsbridge (h, 5, Nyquist--Tyburn Brook, by Bernardini) made his 1-5 odds look like a bargain versus four overmatched rivals in Saturday's GIII Gulfstream Park Mile S. He chased in second beneath Junior Alvarado, took over with ease on the far turn and opened daylight in the stretch to win in style by 11 1/4 lengths. Steal Sunshine (Constitution) was second. Flying Liam (Liam's Map) was third. "I think he's the best miler in the country right now," Alvarado said. "It was...

Several notable sophomores were out on track Saturday morning at Santa Anita Park, including Grade I winner Intrepido (Maximus Mischief) and fellow GIII Robert B. Lewis alumnus Secured Freedom (Practical Joke)--both of whom put in their first moves since the aforementioned race. The former finished closest to GISP Plutarch (Into Mischief) in the Lewis, that one claimed top prize by three-quarters of a length, and took a spin over the main track for trainer Jeff Mullins in an easy four-panel move. Clocked in :48.80 with jockey Hector Berrios in the...

A pair of runners trained by Todd Pletcher are being targeted for Gulfstream Park's marquee races for 3-year-olds this winter. WinStar Farm LLC, CHC Inc. and First Go Racing LLC's undefeated Jackson Hole (Nyquist) is on track for a start in the GII Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Feb. 28, while Centennial Farms' Nearly (Not This Time) will make his next start in the GI Curlin Florida Derby on Mar. 28. "He's doing very well. He's scheduled to breeze [Friday], and we're pointing for the Fountain of Youth," Pletcher...