Nyquist clocks three-quarters for San Vicente

Edited Press Release

Undefeated champion Nyquist worked six furlongs in 1:16.20 over Santa Anita’s fast main track Saturday for his three-year-old debut in the $200,000 San Vicente S. (G2) going seven furlongs on February 15.

The son of Uncle Mo trained by Doug O’Neill for Paul and Zillah Reddam had exercise rider Jonny Garcia up and was one of 330 horses on Santa Anita’s work tab who got in their licks in advance of rain forecast for Sunday.

“He looked great, looked super,” O’Neill said. “He finished up in 11 and four the last eighth (of a mile). He cooled out great; I’m very happy with him. Jonny, who gets on him every day, was real happy with him, too.”

Another three-year-old with Triple Crown ambitions is Uncle Lino, who worked five furlongs with jockey Fernando Perez up in :59.60 for next Saturday’s $150,000 Robert B. Lewis S. (G3) at Santa Anita going 1 1/16 miles.

“We’re trying to take the next step with him around two turns,” trainer Gary Sherlock said. “We turned down a lot of money for him after his maiden win.”

The Kentucky-bred Uncle Mo colt broke his maiden at Del Mar on November 29, winning by nearly three lengths under Perez, who has ridden the bay in each of his three starts.

The 1 1/16-mile Lewis would be Uncle Lino’s first race beyond 6 1/2 furlongs.

Probables for the Lewis are: Collected, Martin Garcia; Dressed in Hermes, Mike Smith; El Charro, no rider; Found Money, Mario Gutierrez; I’malreadythere, Rafael Bejarano; Laoban, Tyler Baze; Let’s Meet in Rio, Kent Desormeaux; Mineyerownmalone, no rider; Mor Spirit, Gary Stevens; Path of David, no rider; Rare Candy, Joe Talamo; Sorryaboutnothing, Flavien Prat; and Uncle Lino, Fernando Perez.

 Nyquist photo courtesy of Keeneland/Coady Photography