Nyquist Jogs, Schools at Churchill Downs

As Nyquist jogged around the track at Churchill Downs May 4, he got an unexpected visitor.

Watching from a gap on the backstretch, trainer Bob Baffert saw the Uncle Mo   colt coming toward him with exercise rider Jonny Garcia aboard and assistant trainer Jack Sisterson alongside on a pony.

"All right, Jack," Baffert said with a grin, extending his leg out onto the track, pretending to try to trip the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) favorite as he went by.

The good-natured display was proper for the mood in the backside Wednesday morning. Nyquist jogged two miles, schooled in the paddock, and schooled in the gate, largely without incident.

"It went really good," Nyquist's trainer, Doug O'Neill, said. "It was more of a mental workout today, and we're going to give him a strong 'A'."

The Reddam Racing runner did have a slight moment of apprehension going into the Churchill gate the first time, but backed out and went back in without skipping a beat.

"He was reluctant initially the first time, but once he sees something once and everything is cool, then he's a gentleman," O'Neill said.

Assistant trainer Leandro Mora said they decided not to school during the racing day because they feel that gets the colt too amped up thinking he might be racing.

"We don't want to cross that line," Mora said.

O'Neill also decided to jog Nyquist at 7:15 a.m. ET, instead of during the designated 8:30 a.m. session for Derby and Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) horses.

"It's just quieter," O'Neill explained. "This is his normal time, at about 7 o'clock, and I had called the starter and asked him a couple days ago what the most quiet time was. He said about 7:15, so that became the plan."