Nyquist turns a smooth mile in final work for Haskell

Edited Del Mar press release

Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Nyquist worked a mile in 1:39.40 at 1 p.m. (PDT) Sunday in his final workout before returning to the races next Sunday in the $1 million Haskell Invitational (G1) at Monmouth Park in New Jersey. Nyquist has been away since incurring the first loss of his career in the Preakness (G1) on May 21 when third to Exaggerator.

Under regular rider Mario Gutierrez, Nyquist entered the track at the seven-furlong gap and backtracked to the three-eighths pole before turning and galloping up to the starting line for a work in company with 2-year-old maiden colt stablemate Sorry Erik. Both colts are owned by J. Paul Reddam.

With track announcer Trevor Denman making the call for the crowd, timer Russ Hudak caught Nyquist in splits of :25.80, :50.40 and 1:14.40 before going the final quarter in :24.90 to complete the one-lap journey around the oval.

“I’m very happy with it,” trainer Doug O’Neill said. “He broke off nice and relaxed, settled nicely and when Mario called on him he finished up well. He did everything we wanted and did it the right way.”

Sorry Erik finished well adrift of his champion stablemate, clocking his mile a full four seconds slower in 1:43.40.

Nyquist's Derby-winning photo courtesy of Churchill Downs/Coady Photography