Nyquist's BC win felt at Del Mar
Crittenden won the Let It Ride Stakes for trainer Eoin Harty under jockey Martin Garcia on Breeders' Cup Saturday at Del Mar.
( / Benoit Photos )
By Ed Zieralski
DEL MAR —
When Nyquist overcame a tough outside post (No. 13) to win the $2 million Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile in Kentucky for trainer Doug O'Neill, the win set off a celebration in the trainer's barn here at Del Mar.
"We're all happy, smiling," said Leandro Mora, who is O'Neill's trusted assistant trainer. "Now it's up to us to keep him healthy (to reach the Kentucky Derby)."
Going into the Breeders' Cup, Nyquist was the future book favorite to win the Kentucky Derby. He solidified that with the win, making him the latest in what has been an incredible line of West Coast colts to take control of the major 2- and 3-year-old thoroughbred races. O'Neill started the run with I'll Have Another in 2012, winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness before a tendon injury forced the colt into retirement and out to stud.
Trainer Art Sherman's California Chrome picked it up in 2014, winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness before finishing tied for fourth in the Belmont Stakes.
And of course American Pharaoh continued the success of California-based colts by being the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years and first to win the Breeders' Cup Classic Saturday and take the sport's Grand Slam of Classics.
Now there's Nyquist, who has the same connections as I'll Have Another, with trainer O'Neill, jockey Mario Gutierrez and owner J. Paul Reddam. And don't forget one of the most important in the barn, Mora, who has been O'Neill's assistant through it all.
Mora, who suffered a stroke on Sept. 18, is still recovering and decided it was best to stay back and take care of the barn here.
"I took a pill today for this," Mora joked prior to the fourth race at Del Mar, where O'Neill's 3-year-old gelding, Ultimate Luck, finished a game second to Steve Knapp's Sunrise Legacy. "It was a mild stroke. Now I'm good."
Mora is excited about the possibility of another colt from the O'Neill barn making a run for the roses next May at Churchill Downs. He said a lot of the credit goes to another O'Neill, Dennis, who is Doug's brother and blood stock agent.
"Dennis works year-round and finds these two-year-olds," Mora said.
Attendance was up a bit from Friday, but still low for a Breeders' Cup Saturday at 5,086. Overall handle topped $18.4 million, with over $1.5 million bet on track.
First bomb of the season hit in the first race with La Pipiti Nice winning under jockey Eswan Flores for trainer Eloy Navarro. La Pipiti Nice paid a very nice $85 to win.
Jockeys Corey Nakatani, Tiago Pereira and Alonso Quinonez each won two races on the card.
Mokat, with Nakatani up, scored an impressive win in the fifth, a one-mile turf race for 2-year-olds. By Uncle Mo, Mokat is trained by Baltas and owned by JK Racing Stable.
Hector Palma's win with Pray Hard in the second was his 1,099th career victory.
Trainer Wallace "Wally" Dollase, 78, died Saturday surrounded by his family in Kentucky. He trained Eclipse Award Champions Itsallgreektome (Eclipse Male Turf Horse 1990) and Jewel Princess (Eclipse Older Filly or Mare 1996). Dollase's horses won 78 stakes, including 18 Grade Is. One of them, Jewel Princess, won the Grade I Breeder's Cup Distaff in 1996 at Woodbine. His daughter, Aimee, is an assistant trainer with Tom Proctor. Another daughter, Michelle, trains at San Luis Rey Downs. And son, Craig, has a stable at Los Alamitos. Funeral arrangements are pending.
Gate incident in second resulted in a steward's inquiry. Stewards ruled that W. Giles, with Fernando Perez in the irons, reared in the gate and failed to leave. There were no refunds as stewards ruled W. Giles caused his own problem. W. Giles was examined by the track veterinarian and showed no serious injuries.
Ed Zieralski
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