GI Kentucky Derby hero Nyquist (Uncle Mo) returned to the track Thursday morning for the first time since developing a fever and elevated white blood cell count shortly after finishing third in the May 21 GI Preakness S. Last year's champion juvenile male has remained at Pimlico for his recovery, and jogged one lap around the Baltimore oval as he continues to improve.
“He went great this morning,” Jack Sisterson, assistant to trainer Doug O'Neill, offered Thursday. “We just jogged him once, backtracked him around and he was full of energy, everything we wanted to see first day back after his slight issue there, but he's doing great. We're very happy and optimistic moving forward with Nyquist.”
Nyquist, who was supposed to have a much-anticipated rematch with Derby runner-up and Preakness hero Exaggerator (Curlin) in the June 11 GI Belmont S. before getting sick, will train again at Pimlico Friday morning at 8:30 a.m. He will ship back to O'Neill's California base on Sunday. There are no announced plans yet for his next start.
“He's going to ship out and fly back to California around 9 or 10 Sunday morning,” Sisterson noted. “Doug and [owner J. Paul Reddam] are excited to get him back at Santa Anita. We have four runners that are going to run on Belmont Day and we leave Sunday also. We're excited.”
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