LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Nyquist drew post position 13 Monday in a field of 14 for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. A victory would position the undefeated 2-year-old as the early favorite for next year’s Kentucky Derby.
The colt is 4-0 and faces his toughest challenge yet at Keeneland on Saturday with an outside post and the biggest field he’s run against.
Nyquist is ridden by Mario Gutierrez, trained by Doug O’Neill and owned by J. Paul Reddam. The trio teamed with I’ll Have Another to win the 2012 Kentucky Derby and Preakness. That colt’s Triple Crown bid derailed when he was retired the day before the Belmont because of an injury.
The Juvenile, to be run Saturday on the second of two days of racing during the 32st Breeders’ Cup, includes two entries each from O’Neill and Keith Desormeaux, who trains Exaggerator and Swipe. O’Neill’s other horse is Ralis, also owned by Reddam.
Post positions for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic and $2 million Distaff will be drawn later Monday.
The other undefeated colt in the Juvenile is Canada-based Riker, also 4-0 for trainer Nicholas Gonzalez. Jockey Jesse Campbell will be riding in his second Breeders’ Cup after finishing ninth in last year’s Juvenile. It will be Riker’s first race on dirt; he’s won all his races at Woodbine, which has a synthetic surface similar to the one Keeneland used to have. He drew the No. 2 post.
Desormeaux and his brother-jockey Kent teamed to win last year’s Juvenile Texas Red, but the colt never made the Triple Crown trail because of injury. Kent Desormeaux will ride Exaggerator for his brother. Victor Espinoza, who won the Triple Crown with American Pharoah, rides Swipe.
Jockey Calvin Borel returns to the Breeders’ Cup for the first time since 2011. He will be aboard Rated R Superstar, who breaks from the No. 6 post in the Juvenile. His only Cup win was in the 2006 Juvenile with Street Sense.
American Pharoah heads a field of 10 for the Classic, where the 3-year-old colt and mare Beholder are expected to vie for the favorite’s role in the 1 ¼-mile race. Trained by Bob Baffert, American Pharoah is 6 of 7 this year, with his only loss coming in the Travers two months ago. The colt is set to retire after Saturday’s race and begin a stud career in nearby Versailles.
American Pharoah was timed in 46.60 seconds for a half-mile workout Monday at Santa Anita. He is scheduled to fly to Kentucky on Tuesday.
The Classic field includes Tonalist, last year’s Belmont Stakes winner; Travers winner Keen Ice; and Frosted, third in the Travers.
The two-day, $26 million championships open Friday with four races, including the $2 million Distaff at 1 1/8 miles. Untapable is back to defend her title, although with a different jockey. Rosie Napravnik rode her to victory last year at Santa Anita and then retired. She’s been replaced by John Velazquez, who is 1 for 6 with the 4-year-old filly since the Distaff a year ago.
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