Nyquist on Cruise Control for Preakness

Another day, another solid morning session from Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Nyquist.

With just a two week gap between races leading up to the May 21 Preakness Stakes (gr. I), trainer Doug O'Neill has Reddam Racing's undefeated champion on cruise control—and the Uncle Mo   colt has been his usual easy-going self at Pimlico Race Course since arriving two days after his Derby win.

The morning of May 19 left O'Neill pleased with Nyquist's strong final pre-race gallop under exercise rider Jonny Garcia. The champion 2-year-old of 2015 went out to the track around 8:30 a.m. ET, accompanied by assistant trainer Jack Sisterson on Satire the pony. He avoided the trouble of a loose horse on the track at the same time; that runner was soon apprehended by an outrider.

"We're very happy," the trainer said. "Nyquist had great energy and looked real loose, and he galloped really well. So we're very, very happy the way the morning went. Tomorrow's going to be a very easy morning. We're feeling very optimistic about Saturday. He was pretty good before the Derby and he's pretty good now. ...We had five weeks to prepare from the Florida Derby to the Kentucky Derby, now it's a quick turnaround, but he's showing all signs that he's good as ever."

Jockey Mario Gutierrez was on hand to watch his second Kentucky Derby winner train Thursday morning. Gutierrez came to the 2012 Preakness after winning that year's Derby with I'll Have Another, and took the second jewel of the Triple Crown before I'll Have Another was declared from the Belmont Stakes (gr. I).

"I'm very, very optimistic," he said of his chances aboard Nyquist. "Watching him gallop today, it's hard not to get confident. We're going into the race with a lot of confidence. I have nothing but great memories from Balitmore and the Preakness in 2012. Being able to come back with the kind of horse that I'm coming back with, it's a lot of joy. I'm coming here with a heavy favorite, and that makes me really happy."

Asked what it feels like to ride Nyquist, Gutierrez said, "I could stay here all day to try to describe the feeling when I'm on his back. It's a good feeling. You know what you have under your hands is a powerful animal that's just waiting for you to let go, and you know they're going to keep running. Besides that, he loves to race. He loves the competition."