Nyquist beats Mohaymen in the Florida Derby

In the rare and much anticipated battle of unbeaten three-year-olds on the Road to the 2016 Kentucky Derby, the 2015 Champion Two-Year-Old Nyquist stamped himself as the favorite for the Run for the Roses when he handily defeated Mohaymen in the $1,000,000 Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park.

Nyquist became the first California based horse to ship east and win the Florida Derby since Empire Maker did it for Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel in 2003.

Since the year 2000, fourteen Florida Derby winners have gone on to run in the Kentucky Derby producing four winners: Orb 2013, Big Brown 2008, Barbaro 2006, Monarchos in 2001; and two second place finishers in Ice Box 2010 and Empire Maker 2003.

Nyquist seized control and got the advantage over Mohaymen in the nine-furlong race right out of the gate when jockey Mario Gutierrez won the break and hustled the son of Uncle Mo right to the lead. Mohaymen, who was in the number nine post position, also broke well but was forced four wide into the first turn.

In the early going Nyquist was between horses with Sawyers Mickey, who has yet to win a race, on the rail and Chovanes, the recent winner of a maiden claiming race, contesting the lead of Nyquist. Mohaymen continued his wide trip in fourth position.

Gutierrez was not afraid of his early competition as they set fractions of 23.60 and 47.09. After six furlongs, the battle between the unbeaten duo was on; Nyquist left his early competition behind and Mohaymen made his move.

The battle did not last for long, however, because going around the clubhouse turn, Gutierrez allowed Nyquist to float out wide causing Mohaymen to have to stay in the far outside paths of the Gulfstream Park oval. Nyquist surged to open a 2 ½ length lead, while Mohaymen could not sustain his rally.

Gutierrez described his trip from the gate to the wire, “It was always part of the plan (to go to front). It just depends on the break; how the other horses were going to be acting, so coming out of the gate, I broke so clean and so fast so I just had to take the lead. I saw the gray horse (Mohaymen) coming to my side. I’m riding the race and I didn’t want to be so confident, so if he was going to pass me, he was going to have to pass me running and wide.”

Junior Alvarado, jockey of Mohaymen, offered no excuses, “I didn’t really have much excuse. I was where I wanted to be the whole race and he didn’t fire this time. That’s all I really can tell you. There’s nothing wrong with him. Something was probably going on with him today, he just didn’t run the race that we were expecting.  I’m a person that doesn’t like to blame the track all the time. I would say the only difference is that he never took me. He’s a horse that all the time drags me and jump in the bridle right away so when we turn to the backside he’s pulling me. This time he wasn’t pulling me. It got me a little worried. I tried to stay with im and give him a chance to get it all together. By the three-eighths pole I saw Nyquist getting along in front by himself and I had to move my horse. By that point he always drags me there and this time I’m the one asking him. The track could be one little reason but there’s nothing else I really can say. Other than that we were clear on the outside.”

In the end, Nyquist won the Florida Derby by 3 ¼ lengths in a time of 1:49.11, while Mohaymen faded to finish fourth. Majesto picked up the pieces to finish second and Fellowship got third place money.

For Nyquist, who upped his record to 7: 7-0-0, this was the fourth grade one victory of his career. A $1,000,000 bonus from the Fasig-Tipton sales company was awarded to owner Paul Reddam and Reddam Racing LLC as the winner of the Florida Derby, after being sold in the Fasig-Tipton March 2015 sale for two-year-olds at which he brought a price of $400,000. Also, Nyquist’s share of today’s Florida Derby purse was $589,000.

After the race trainer Doug O’Neill said, “I think we just had a very lucky trip. Mario broke great and did a great job riding and everything just went right. This whole trip other than being delayed one day, everything else went right. So many things can go wrong in this business. Nyquist traveled well, looked well.”

Nyquist was went off as the 1.20-1, second choice by the betting public, and when Mohaymen failed to hit the board, it triggered a show price larger than the place price for Nyquist. Heavy show bettors had poured $129,000 out of the total $288,000 in the pool on Mohaymen and thus Nyquist paid $4.40, $3.20, and $3.60.

In the Kentucky Derby points race, the top four finishers all likely have earned enough qualifying points, Nyquist upped his total to 130, Mohaymen now has 80, Majesto earned 40 points, and Fellowship totals 32.

Looking ahead to the Kentucky Derby O’Neill added, “I feel really good (about Kentucky). We drew up thinking two preps before the Derby would leave him with fresh legs. He’s got a lot of miles underneath him in the morning and we have a fresh horse for the afternoon.”