Nyquist Gets Disadvantageous Draw in BC Juvenile

The biggest news of the Monday, October 26 draw in Lexington might have been Nyquist’s unfavorable starting position in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. The likely favorite will begin from the inauspicious 13-hole going a mile and one sixteenth at Keeneland on the main track. After starting his career 4 for 4 including consecutive stakes tallies in the Grade 2 Best Pal, Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity and Grade 1 FrontRunner Stakes, Nyquist will have to overcome the biggest obstacle in his young career while shipping across the country to face the best field he’s encountered so far.

Like father, like son

Nyquist, a son of 2011 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile hero Uncle Mo, has won each of his starts with an early turn of foot that has allowed him to race on, or near the lead. The wide post in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile will likely force the hand of regular rider Mario Gutierrez to accelerate quickly from the opening bell, or force the young colt to show a new dimension rating behind horses. Nyquist will break just inside of European invader Waterloo Bridge who will start from the far outside in the field of 14.

Options aplenty in talented field 

Other horses to watch in the BC Juvenile include Greepointcrusader (post 3), Ralis (post 10) and Swipe (post 12). The latter gave Nyquist his closest challenge in the Grade 1 Frontrunner last out, while Greenpointcrusader and Ralis have reportedly trained well over the Keeneland dirt.