Trainer Doug O'Neill used the 2016 San Vicente Stakes (G2) to launch Nyquist's 3-year-old campaign toward the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) and could have another Triple Crown contender after the 2017 edition.
Each week BloodHorse.com looks forward to the weekend's biggest races. Consider this your weekly guide to the best stakes races in North America. This week Tampa Bay Downs gets the spotlight with three graded stakes Saturday.
Five maiden winners will look to break through for their first graded score Feb. 12 in the $200,000 San Vicente Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park.
This week we take a closer look at Nyquist, the 2015 Sentient Jet Breeders' Juvenile (gr. I) victor and winner of the $200,000 San Vicente Stakes (gr. II) on Feb. 15 at Santa Anita Park.
Juvenile champion Nyquist stars in the San Vicente and more inside the February 20, 2016 Blood-Horse magazine!
Undefeated Nyquist showed no signs of rust in his 2016 debut Feb. 15, when he took the $200,000 San Vicente Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita Park.
Nyquist's first step onto the Triple Crown trail comes Feb. 15 at Santa Anita Park, where he'll look to keep his undefeated record intact against five other sophomore males in the $200,000 San Vicente Stakes (gr. II).
Doug O'Neill wanted a swift, short breeze from Reddam Racing's Nyquist eight days ahead of his 3-year-old debut in the San Vicente Stakes (gr. II) and that's what he got Feb. 7 at Santa Anita Park.
Texas Red, winner of the 2014 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I), is back in training at Santa Anita Park and is scheduled to record his first timed workout of 2016 on Feb. 13 at the Southern California racetrack.
With up to two inches of rain expected Jan. 31 in Southern California, trainer Doug O'Neill moved Nyquist's regular Sunday work up a day to Jan. 30, and the champion 2-year-old male of 2015 impressed on the track once again.
Undefeated Nyquist ran a full lap around the Santa Anita Park main track during a workout Jan. 24, but was officially given a time of 1:15 3/5 for six furlongs.
Nyquist, the morning after securing the Eclipse Award as champion 2-year-old male of 2015, worked five furlongs on Santa Anita Park's fast main track Jan. 17 in 1:00 4/5.
Undefeated Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) winner Nyquist worked six furlongs on Santa Anita Park's fast main track Sunday morning in 1:14 flat as he prepares for his 3-year-old debut.
Undefeated Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) winner Nyquist worked four furlongs on Santa Anita Park's fast main track Dec. 27 in preparation for his 3-year-old debut in the $200,000 San Vicente Stakes (gr. II).
Texas Red ran second in his 3-year-old debut, finishing a neck behind Peachtree Stable's Lord Nelson in the $200,250 San Vicente Stakes
Lord Nelson spoiled the 3-year-old coming-out party for Texas Red in the $200,000 San Vicente Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita Park Feb. 1, edging the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) winner in a terrific finish.
It may be Super Bowl Sunday but the eyes of the racing world will be on Texas Red as the overwhelming Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) winner returns to Santa Anita Park in the $200,000 San Vicente Stakes (gr. II).
Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) winner Texas Red is likely to have three starts on the early Triple Crown trail, according to trainer Keith Desormeaux, beginning with the San Vicente Stakes (gr. II) Feb. 1.
PORTER ON PEDIGREES<br/>The impression that Kobe's Back was an early season 2-year-old flash in the pan was dismissed when he won the San Vicente Stakes.
Lee and Susan Searing already have one formidable West Coast contender for the Triple Crown trail in Candy Boy. After winning the San Vicente Stakes (gr. II) in handy style with Kobe's Back, they have a second as well.
Following a 2-year-old season that ended disappointingly, Kobe's Back returns to action in the $200,000 San Vicente Stakes (gr. II) Feb. 16 in his debut on dirt at Santa Anita Park.
Evan Hammonds recaps the Southwest Stakes, Sabin Stakes, El Camino Real Derby, and San Vicente Stakes from the weekend.
Given a patient ride by David Flores, Shakin It Up rallied between horses to capture the $150,000 San Vicente Stakes (gr. II) Feb. 17 at Santa Anita Park, giving trainer Bob Baffert his eighth win in the sprint event.
Capo Bastone will be the latest horse to run back from the 2012 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) when he goes in race 9, a non-winners allowance, at Gulfstream Park on Saturday.
Treasury Bill is among six 3-year-olds entered in the $150,000 San Vicente Stakes (gr. II) Feb. 17 at Santa Anita Park, but trainer Ron Ellis said the seven-furlong event is a starting point for the son of Lemon Drop Kid.
Rebounding from four consecutive disappointing efforts, Drill won the $150,000 San Vicente Stakes (gr. II) by a desperate nose over a determined American Act Feb. 19 at Santa Anita. Creative Cause finished third at 1-2 odds.
West Coast star Creative Cause will take his first step toward a possible start in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) when he heads a field of six in the $150,000 San Vicente Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita.
Preparing for his 3-year-old debut in the San Vicente Stakes (gr. II), early Triple Crown contender Creative Cause drilled six furlongs in a bullet 1:11 3/5 at Hollywood Park Feb. 12.
Norfolk Stakes (gr. I) winner Creative Cause, prepping for his expected 3-year-old debut in the upcoming San Vicente Stakes (gr. II), worked six furlongs handily on the Hollywood Park Cushion Track Feb. 4 in 1:13 4/5.
MAHUBAH'S CORNER<br />Avalyn Hunter delves into the Rebel Stakes winner's pedigree to see if he'll have enough stamina for the upcoming classics.
Odds-on The Factor showed his speedy reputation is no hype when he turned back a good group of 3-year-olds in winning the $150,000 San Vicente Stakes (gr. II) by three-quarters of a length at Santa Anita Feb. 20
Lightning-fast 3-year-old The Factor, who turned heads when he broke his maiden in track record time in December, will make his much-anticipated season debut in the $150,000 San Vicente Stakes (gr. II) Feb. 20 at Santa Anita.
Bob Baffert, who has won three of the last seven runnings of the San Vicente Stakes (gr. II), will saddle a pair of speedy colts in the $150,000 sprint for 3-year-olds Feb. 15 at Santa Anita.
With the unbeaten E Z Warrior sitting out Sunday's $150,000 San Vicente (gr. II), a wide-open field of seven 3-year-olds will contest the seven-furlong Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) prep at the Arcadia, Calif., track.
Too Much Bling heads a field of eight in the $150,000 San Vicente Stakes (gr. II) for 3-year-olds going seven furlongs at Santa Anita Park on Sunday.
Front-running Fusaichi Rock Star responded when challenged at the quarter pole and pulled away in the stretch to win the $150,000 San Vicente (gr. II) for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita Sunday.
Roman Ruler, who worked six furlongs from the gate in a swift 1:11 2/5 on Sunday morning, will have Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey aboard for his 3-year-old debut Feb. 13 in the $150,000 San Vicente (gr. II), trainer Bob Baffert said.
Jay Em Ess Stable's Declan's Moon, the leading candidate to collect an Eclipse Award as the country's top juvenile of 2004 on Monday, worked a half-mile in a bullet :48 1/5 over Hollywood Park's fast main track.
Calder shipper Imperialism caught 11-10 favorite Hosco inside the final eighth of a mile to register a 1 1/4-length victory in the $150,000 San Vicente (gr. II) for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita Saturday.
A change in the weather proved fortuitous for trainer Paco Gonzalez and Buckland Manor, who enters Saturday's $300,000 Strub Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita off a two-length victory in the Sir Beaufort, which was switched from the turf to the main track Dec. 26 due to rain.
The Thoroughbred Corp.'s Kafwain got his start on the Kentucky Derby trail off on the right foot in Saturday's $150,000 San Vicente Stakes (gr. II), turning in an easy victory in a field of five 3-year-olds.
Trainer Wesley Ward replaced Jorge Chavez with Julie Krone aboard Runnin' On Nitro in Saturday's San Vicente Stakes (Gr. II) at Santa Anita.
Kafwain, who finished second to stablemate Vindication in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) on Oct. 26 at Arlington Park, stands out among a field of six 3-year-olds entered in Santa Anita's $150,000 San Vicente Stakes (gr. II) Saturday at seven furlongs.
Blahut Stables, LLC's Southern Image, who is to make his stakes debut in Saturday's $150,000 San Vicente Stakes (gr. II) for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs, worked over Santa Anita's fast main track Wednesday morning. Dense fog that hovered over the track all morning prevented clockers from recording an official time.
Hopeful Stakes winner and San Vicente Stakes probable Came Home worked five furlongs in 1:11.80 at Santa Anita on Wednesday as the track closed for workouts early due to heavy rains.
Trainer Bob Hess Jr. is hoping Fog City Stable's D'wildcat can approximate his last performance when he meets unbeaten Lasersport Saturday in the $150,000 San Vicente Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs. D'wildcat smoked a maiden allowance field in his second career start Jan. 6 in a six-furlong time of 1:08.76, only four ticks off the track record. D'wildcat breezed four furlongs in :49.20 Tuesday in his final San Vicente tuneup.
