Nyquist Hits the Track at Keeneland

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Nyquist Hits the Track at Keeneland
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Nyquist jogged twice around the main track at Keeneland.

Nyquist, the undefeated champion who is favorite for the 2016 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), jogged twice around the main track at Keeneland the morning of April 9.

The 3-year-old son of Uncle Mo   who has won all seven starts was making his first visit to the track since his arrival in Lexington April 3, a day after his impressive victory in the Xpressbet.com Florida Derby (gr. I) at Gulfstream Park that earned him a $1 million bonus. Nyquist's return to the track had been delayed as a precautionary move after routine tests revealed an elevated white blood cell count that had returned to normal by Friday.

With exercise rider Jonny Garcia aboard on a bitterly cold and windy morning, with the temperature 30 degrees and some snow flurries blowing around, Nyquist was accompanied during the two laps around the main track in a clockwise direction by Jack Sisterson, assistant to trainer Doug O'Neill, on a pony.

Sisterson said the plan was to jog once around the track and then if the colt acted as if he needed more exercise to do the second trip around.

"He couldn't have gone any better today," Sisterson said. "We were just happy to get him back on the track. It's a relief. More than anything, he wanted to get back out there himself. He has good appetite and energy. Everything's great."

Sisterson said Nyquist would return to the track again Sunday morning at about the same time, just before the break for track maintenance. He said it would be up to O'Neill whether the colt jogs again or does a little more with a gallop.

Any workout plans for Nyquist would also have to come from O'Neill, the assistant said.

Purchased by trainer O'Neill's brother, Dennis, for $400,000 on behalf of owner Paul Reddam at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton Florida sale of selected 2-year-olds in training, Nyquist has earned $3,322,600 (which includes the bonus paid to any horse out of the F-T sale that went on to win this year's Florida Derby). The Fasig-Tipton/Florida Derby bonus has been renewed for this year's juvenile sale and next year's key Kentucky Derby prep race at Gulfstream Park.