Nyquist trotted home in the final stretch to claim the 142 running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. The Kentucky Derby is the first stage of three races Nyquist has to capture to become the 13th triple crown winner ever.
Nyquist won the Kentucky Derby becoming just the eighth unbeaten horse to advance to the Preakness. He ran the 1 1/4 miles in 2:01:31, blazing the field of twenty.
The horse is owned by J. Paul Reddam, trained by Doug O’Neill. With Mario Gutierrez as the jockey, Nyquist has started off his racing career with a 8-0 record.
Trainer Doug O’Neill and jockey Mario Gutierrez were previously in this position, when the horse I’ll Have Another won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness back in 2012.
Nyquist will continue to be compared to American Pharoah, who won all three prestigious races last year to become the first triple crown winner in the past 37 years.
There are two horses that could stand in Nyquist’s way of the triple crown: Gun Runner and Exaggerator. The distance will get longer in the Preakness Stakes and even longer in the Belmont Stakes. Questions flare over whether or not Nyquist can hold off the field down the stretch.
The 141st running of the Preakness will take place May 21st, with a field of twelve.
My Prediction – Nyquist will capture the Preakness, however he will be run down by Gun Runner in the Belmont Stakes in the final stretch.
