Vequist closes in stretch run to win Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies

It took a clutch stretch run along the rail, but Vequist showed she had the stamina in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Fillies, pulling away late to win the $2,000,000 race at Keeneland.

“I tried to save ground,” winning jockey Joel Rosario said. “It was hard for her in the turn because I had a horse outside me. But she did great. I never gave up my position. As soon as I asked her she went on with it. It was a very good performance.”

Under Rosario, the daughter of Nyquist broke well out of the gate from the post 2 but was overtaken quickly by Dayoutoftheoffice and Princess Noor, both undefeated. Those two dueled for most of the race.

Vequist sat in third place and eventually dropped to fourth going through the far turn in the 1 1/16-mile race on the fast dirt. During the stretch run the fillies ahead of her faded while she seemed to find another gear, taking the race by two lengths over second-place finisher Dayoutoftheoffice.

She’s a sharp filly,” trainer Butch Reid said. “She doesn’t mind the inside obviously. I don’t know that you ever have that kind of feeling but we knew she was doing very well, and we know she’s a very talented filly.”

Girl Daddy finished third. Princess Noor, the Bob Baffert-trained filly who went off as the 9-5 favorite, finished fifth, 4 1/2 lengths behind.

The victory gave Reid his second Breeders’ Cup victory. It gave Vequist her second stakes win and ended the undefeated streaks of Dayoutoftheoffice, Princess Noor, Simply Ravishing and Girl Daddy.

Vequiest is owned by Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable and Swilcan Stable LLC. She was bred by Swilcan Stables.

Splits for the race were 23.20, 47.12, 1:11.32 and 1:36.01. The winning time was 1:42.30. Vequist returned $15.20 for the win.