Nyquist

After an agonising pause following Wednesday's G2 Queen Mary S., it was a case of USA off the mark at Royal Ascot 2023 with Crimson Advocate (Nyquist--Citizen Advocate, by Proud Citizen) nosing out Relief Rally (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) in a head-bobbing finish. Using the speed that had seen her book her transatlantic ticket in Gulfstream Park's Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies S. last month, the George Weaver-trained chestnut kept finding for Johnny Velazquez as the Haggas filly bore down on her with the line approaching. Relief Rally was in front a...

6th-SA, $61k, Msw, 3-5yo, 6 1/2f, 6:42p.m. ET In against a field of mixed maidens of various age, Bob Baffert will unveil two expensive stablemates in this sixth at the Great Race Place on the Golden Coast lead by EXTORTION (Into Mischief). Out of an unraced half-sister to full-siblings MGISP Munnings (Speightstown) and GSP Munnings Sister, another of Gaudete's half-sisters produced SP-Uae Speight'spercomete (Speightstown). Extortion can claim a Group-placed sibling of his own in MGSP-Uae Snowboarder (Raven's Pass) and one of his half-sisters named Beauty and Light (Unbridled's Song) is...

Trainer George Weaver booked a traveling companion for his earlier Royal Palm Juvenile winner No Nay Mets as Crimson Advocate went gate-to-wire in the filly's division, stamping her own ticket to next month's Royal Ascot meet. One of the few fillies in the field with prior experience--a third sprinting 4 1/2 furlongs at Keeneland Apr. 26--Crimson Advocate got the best break of the field and never gave the others a chance, opening up a length in the first furlong and never letting anyone get a step closer. Wesley Ward's Ocean...

6th-SA, $61K, Msw, 3-5yo, 6f, 6:49 p.m. TRUEHOOD (Nyquist), purchased for $700,000 out of Keeneland September in 2021, makes the races Friday for trainer Bob Baffert and owners Alfred or Liebau. The first foal out of an unraced half-sister to MSP Golden Jaguar (Animal Kingdom) and Golden Domer (Quality Road), Truehood traces back to GI Shoemaker Mile S. winner Bolo (Temple City), MGISW Dullahan (Even the Score), and Canada's champion 2-year-old colt and GI Kentucky Derby upsetter Mine That Bird (Birdstone). Opposing him from the outside is 4-year-old Mohawk Sun...

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis OCALA, FL - The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training completed its four-day run Friday with a  new record gross and average and a record-tying median in an auction which closely mirrored the 2022 renewal which set high-water marks for all of those metrics. Through four sessions, 698 horses grossed $90,805,000. A year ago, 705 horses grossed a record $90,723,000. The 2023 average of $129,907 was up fractionally from $128,685. The median remained unchanged at $65,000. "It was a great...

A filly by Nyquist, who is half-sister to leading GI Kentucky Oaks contender Affirmative Lady (Arrogate), turned in the fastest quarter-mile work of Friday's penultimate session of the under-tack show for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, while a daughter of Speightstown and a colt by Into Mischief shared the fastest furlong time of the week. The daughter of Nyquist (hip 1024) turned in the day's fastest quarter-mile breeze--and second fastest of the week--when covering the distance in :20 2/5. The dark bay filly, consigned...

A colt by Frosted (hip 449) matched the fastest furlong time of the week so far, while a filly by Nyquist (hip 484) tied the fastest quarter-mile breeze with workouts during the third session of the under-tack show for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training Tuesday in Central Florida. Hip 449 worked a furlong in :9 3/5 shortly after 8:30 a.m. for the Longoria Training and Sales consignment. A $50,000 Keeneland September acquisition, the youngster was one of a group of yearlings purchased last year...

After watching the races just across the street from their home in Del Mar, Joe and Debby McCloskey decided to take the plunge into racehorse ownership with the purchase of a filly by Congrats at the 2014 Keeneland September sale. Now, nearly a decade later, Johannes (Nyquist)--the first foal out of that first filly--has become the couple's first stakes winner and the 3-year-old gave promise of more firsts to come in the near-future with an authoritative second stakes victory in the Pasadena S. at Santa Anita last Sunday. Johannes began...

Bet like he couldn't lose, Johannes strolled home much the best while making his two-turn bow in the Pasadena S. at Santa Anita Sunday. Taken in hand out of the gate, the heavy favorite settled at the back of the compact four-horse field heading into the backstretch. He rolled up four wide to challenge the pacesetters into the lane, pounced to the lead at midstretch and powered clear under a hand ride for an effortless victory. "It's onward and upward," said winning trainer Tim Yakteen. "It was a small field,...

Seven juveniles have been supplemented to the Texas Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale, adding to an already record-setting number of horses cataloged. HIP 187--a filly by Dialed In who is a half to a stakes winner and from the family of MSW Gray Attempt. Consigned by 1880 Bloodstock. HIP 188--a filly by freshman stallion Catholic Boy who is from the family of MGSW Tax, MGSW Yell, and MGIW Elate. Consigned by 1880 Bloodstock. HIP 189--a filly by Tapwrit who is a half to two winners and from the family of GSW...

Locally based Flying Connection turned in a powerful front-running performance Sunday to stamp her ticket to the GI Kentucky Oaks. The bay closed out last season with a convincing tally in the Zia Princess S., and resurfaced in the local Borderplex S. to be third at 30 cents on the dollar. She bounced back while stretching out to best Love Tank by more than nine lengths in the Island Fashion S. Feb. 28, but had to contend with Bob Baffert-trained invader Doinitthehardway this time. Able to seize a narrow advantage...

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis OCALA, FL-The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, which had four million-dollar juveniles a year ago, has matched that mark with another day to go as a colt by Good Magic topped Tuesday's trade with a sale co-record final price of $2 million. Bob Baffert, sitting in the press box alongside Donato Lanni while on the phone with Amr Zedan, made the winning bid, which matched the $2-million price tag of Chestertown (Tapit), who sold at the auction in 2019. "It...