Nyquist Out of Belmont Stakes with Fever

Nyquist is out of consideration for the June 11 Belmont Stakes (gr. I), said his trainer, Doug O’Neill, the morning of May 24.

“He is officially out,” O’Neill said. “Right about the time we got his blood work back this morning, which showed an elevated white blood count, his temperature went back up. We just have to get strong with the antibiotics and get him right. He’s under the weather now, which we all get once in a while. Thank God it’s nothing leg-related.

“We’ll live to fight another day.”

Nyquist, the 2015 champion 2-year-old male, won the May 7 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) before being upset in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) by Exaggerator. It was at first thought those two would meet in a rubber match at Belmont, but that’s not to be. Nyquist had been undefeated in eight races before checking in third in the Preakness.

O’Neill said Nyquist would hopefully ship back to his California base from Pimlico Race Course later this week or early next week, depending on when he got a clean bill of health from his veterinarian. He added that future races have not yet been targeted for the son of Uncle Mo  .

“We’re not looking at anything yet,” O’Neill said. “Let’s get him right first. It’s hard when you circle a date and they’re not right. We’ll do that, get a couple of works in him, and then set a target.”

Dennis O’Neill, the bloodstock agent who selected Nyquist out of a 2-year-old sale last year, also visited with the colt the morning of May 24 in Baltimore.

“He looked good this morning—he had his head in the feed tub and was eating and looked bright-eyed, but off the blood work something isn’t right,” said O’Neill, the brother of Doug. “It also looks like he’s lost some weight. This is the first race that looks like it really beat him up. I’m glad he’s going home.”