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Nyquist’s Vequist Upsets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies

Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable and Swilcan Stables’s Vequist (Nyquist) put an exclamation point on a very strong freshman season for her sire (by Uncle Mo)–a winner of the track-and-trip GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in 2015–while posting a mild 6-1 upset in Friday’s GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. The market’s fifth choice behind the unbeaten foursome of ‘TDN Rising Star‘ Princess Noor (Not This Time), GI Frizette S. victoress Dayoutoftheoffice (Into Mischief), local GI Darley Alcibiades S. heroine Simply Ravishing (Laoban) and ‘Rising Star‘ Girl Daddy (Uncle Mo) broke alertly and hugged the rail into the first bend tucked in behind Dayoutoftheoffice. Princess Noor sat second off the fence as Simply Ravishing–on the lead last time–broke a half-step slowly before taking up a midpack spot. The frontrunner cruised along through splits of :23.30 and :47.12 as Joel Rosario sat patiently on Vequist, who was shuffled back to fourth through six panels in 1:11.32. Princess Noor was the first to come under a ride heading for home, and while Dayoutoftheoffice seemed to still be going strong, she turned for home a bit wide and left the rail open. Vequist built up a full head of steam as she took over midway down the lane, and bounded away with good-looking strides to prevail by a convincing two lengths.

“My wife [Ginny] did a sensational job with her all week,” said winning conditioner Butch Reid, whose prior Breeders’ Cup win came in the 2011 GII Breeders’ Cup Marathon with Afleet Again (Afleet Alex). “She really thrived on this air and the weather. She looked great coming in. I knew we would be laying up close. She’s a sharp filly. 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.”

Rider Joel Rosario, who was celebrating his 12th Breeders’ Cup win, added, “I tried to save ground. 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.”

Vequist debuted for her breeders Tom and Sue McGrath’s Swilcan Stables going 4 1/2 furlongs at Parx July 29, and was beaten a nose that day while finishing 8 1/4 lengths clear of a next-out winner. Gary Barber and Adam Wachtel saw fit to acquire a 75% interest in the dark bay after that, and were immediately rewarded for their investment with a 9 1/2-length romp in Saratoga’s GI Spinaway S. over seven panels Sept. 6. She was second by two lengths at 9-10 last time to Dayoutoftheoffice, but still earned a 91 Beyer Speed Figure and was 10 1/4 lengths clear of third.

“Well, you’re not used to getting calls when you lose a race and so they were, obviously, they’re at the top of the game and I have a small outfit,” Tom McGrath said after the race when describing the private deal after Vequist’s debut. “So you’re flattered, first of all, but second of all, it just made a lot of sense and this has been a really kind of a, for the people that aren’t big players in the game, it’s been a tough year. So we were looking at things and trimming where we could… I don’t think I’ll ever be able to exaggerate 2020, because you go from where we’re at in the spring to in the fall and sitting here. I’m in disbelief.”

Swilcan and Reid campaigned 2012 GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. winner and GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint contestant Poseidon’s Warrior (Speightstown).

Gary Barber, whose pink and black silks have become a fixture on the track and in the winner’s circle on big days like Friday, said, “I have a lot of people to thank. Obviously, Butch at the top. But my partner, Adam Wachtel and Tom for allowing us to buy in. Great partners. And I was really adamant that we keep her with Butch and Adam I discussed it. He knows her better than anybody else… I put a lot into this game and these are the moments you wait for. Up until this point today, it wasn’t going too well, but now from the basement to the penthouse.”

Friday, Keeneland
BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE FILLIES-GI, $1,780,000, Keeneland, 11-6, 2yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:42.30, ft.
1–VEQUIST, 122, f, 2, by Nyquist
1st Dam: Vero Amore (GSP, $252,255), by Mineshaft
2nd Dam: Summers Edge, by The Cliff’s Edge
3rd Dam: Miss Summer Reign, by Summer Squall
($120,000 RNA Ylg ’19 KEESEP). O-Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable & Swilcan Stable LLC; B-Swilcan Stables (KY); T-Robert E Reid Jr; J-Joel Rosario. $1,040,000. Lifetime Record: 4-2-2-0, $1,235,500. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Dayoutoftheoffice, 122, f, 2, by Into Mischief
1st Dam: Gottahaveadream, by Indian Charlie
2nd Dam: Chasetheragingwind, by Dayjur
3rd Dam: Race the Wild Wind, by Sunny’s Halo
O-Blazing Meadows Farm & Siena Farm LLC; B-Siena Farms LLC (KY); T-Timothy E Hamm. $340,000.
3–Girl Daddy, 122, f, 2, by Uncle Mo
1st Dam: Cara Marie, by Unbridled’s Song
2nd Dam: Miss Kilroy, by A.P. Indy
3rd Dam: Miss Caerleona (Fr), by Caerleon
($500,000 Ylg ’19 KEESEP). O-Albaugh Family Stables LLC; B-China Horse Club International Limited (KY); T-Dale L Romans. $180,000.
Margins: 2, NO, NO. Odds: 6.60, 4.00, 5.80.
Also Ran: Simply Ravishing, Princess Noor, Crazy Beautiful, Thoughtfully.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

Pedigree Notes:
Vero Amore, with Vequist in utero, RNA’d for $135,000 at the 2017 Keeneland November sale. Trainer Butch Reid purchased the mare as a 2-year-old on behalf of Swilcan Stables for $15,000 at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale. She was second in the GII Black-Eyed Susan S. and earned over $250,000.

Vero Amore produced a filly by Astern (Aus) in 2019 and a filly by Daredevil this year before being bred back to Accelerate.

Vequist became the first Grade I winner for Nyquist (Uncle Mo) when she captured the GI Spinaway S. The freshman sire also had the Spinaway third that day in Lady Lilly. The 2016 GI Kentucky Derby winner was also represented this year by GI Summer S. winner Gretzky the Great.

From the Also-Rans:

“She ran really hard, we’re proud of her. No complaints. We had a decent trip on the front end. Not a ton of pressure, no excuses. We talked about the race earlier and we said if no one goes I didn’t mind seeing her on the lead. She has a lot of natural speed and does it fairly easy so it didn’t shock me.” —Tim Hamm, trainer of Dayoutoftheoffice

“She ran super. I thought we had a chance [to win] turning for home. She ran a big race. She didn’t have the cleanest trip, but I am happy with her. She got hung a little wide; it wasn’t anyone’s fault, it is just the way the race unfolded.” —Girl Daddy’s trainer Dale Romans

“[Simply Ravishing] broke bad, stuck in traffic, nowhere to go and couldn’t get there. The one hole is kind of tough and like I said, she broke bad. Crazy Beautiful (Liam’s Map), we might need to regroup altogether. I think she might be a sprinter.” —Trainer Ken McPeek

“She was in a good spot, he had her in a perfect spot there but she just didn’t kick on. I’m pretty disappointed. She just came up empty. I had a lot of confidence in her but the winner ran a big race. They were going pretty fast. She just didn’t have it.” —Bob Baffert on beaten favorite Princess Noor

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Fire At Will Runs Down Outadore In Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf

Fire At Will defied his 30-1 odds to establish himself as North America's top 2-year-old on the grass Friday with a powerful stretch drive to win the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland.

The Declaration of War colt left the gate forwardly placed, and jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. acted quickly to get him on the rail from the seven post. Fire at Will and Gretzky the Great tracked early leader Outadore heading into the first turn, avoiding the congested traffic that plagued many of the runners behind them.

Outadore led the field through an opening quarter in :23.64 seconds, with Gretzky the Great pressuring him on the outside. The top three remained in the same position at the half-mile point, crossed in :48.12 seconds, and Outadore appeared to be in a good position to sustain his lead entering and exiting the final turn under Jose Ortiz.

All the while, Santana sat patiently on the rail path, and when Gretzky the Great faltered at the top of the stretch, Fire At Will ran through the seam, and came face-to-face with Outadore with an eighth of a mile to go. Under a hard drive and left-handed urging, Fire at Will kicked away in the stretch, and hit the wire three lengths ahead of middle-moving Battleground, who passed Outadore by a neck in the final jump.

Fire At Will covered the mile on a turf course rated as good in 1:35.81.

The victory was worth $550,000 and increased Fire At Will's earnings to $687,932 with a record of 4-3-0-0 with all three victories coming in stakes. Mike Maker trained the colt for owner Three Diamonds Farm.

Fire At Will paid $62.40 to win, which was a massive price, considering he came into the race off a two-length win in the G2 Pilgrim Stakes at Belmont Park. Prior to that, he won a rained-off-the-turf edition of the With Anticipation Stakes at Saratoga Race Course by 1/2 lengths.

Bred in Kentucky by Troy Rankin, Fire at Will is out of the unplaced Kitten's Joy mare Flirt. He sold to Three Diamonds Farm for $97,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Race Quotes courtesy of the Breeders' Cup Notes Team:

Winning trainer Mike Maker (Fire At Will) – “I tell you, we have been high on him since day one and with each race he's got better. It's very satisfying to get Three Diamonds Farm their very first Breeders' Cup win.”

Winning jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. (Fire At Will) – “I got a beautiful trip. I had plenty of horse in the tank. Thank God everything played out perfect.”

On timing: “He put me where he wanted to be and that's why we won.”

Second-place jockey Ryan Moore (Battleground) – “My horse ran super. Very happy with him.”

Third-place trainer Wesley Ward (Outadore) – “He ran great. I thought that the fractions were decent to where he could kick on. Talking to Jose, he said when he turned for home he dropped into another gear as we expected. But, take nothing away from that winner. He ran away from us. (The winner) ran a big, big race.”

Third-place jockey Jose Ortiz (Outadore) – “He got a little tired the last sixteenth, but he ran a helluva race. He was ready 100 percent. Wesley had him ready.”

Fourth-place trainer Jessica Harrington (Cadillac) – “He ran a great race. Shane said he got into a bun fight early on which pushed him back to eighth and messed the race up for him. But I'm really pleased with his run and especially the way he stayed on to the line.

Fourth-place jockey Shane Foley (Cadillac) – “He had a bad trip after the first bend. He then got a nice run later on and he hit the line really well.”

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Declaration of War Colt Sets Tote Ablaze in Juvenile Turf

Three Diamonds Farm’s Fire At Will (c, 2, Declaration of War–Flirt, by Kitten’s Joy) sat the trip and powered clear in the stretch to post an eye-catching, 30-1 upset in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland.

Favored Battleground (War Front), the first foal out of 2015 GI Breeders’ Cup Turf victress Found (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), was second; pacesetter Outadore (Outwork) was third.

Fire At Will, a last out upset wire-to-wire winner of Belmont’s GII Pilgrim S. Oct. 3, sat a stalking trip on the inside in third as the two-for-two Outadore led through fractions of :23.64 and :48.12. Tipped out by Ricardo Santana, Jr. as they straightened for home, Fire At Will collared Outadore at the eighth pole and took off impressively from there to win going away by three lengths. Battleground, last seen capturing the G2 Vintage S. at Goodwood July 28 for Aidan O’Brien, rallied from far back after a wide trip to just get up for second.

Fire At Will, a debut sixth going two turns over the Saratoga lawn Aug. 8, graduated in the slop going seven furlongs in an off-the-turfer there Sept. 2. The $97,000 KEESEP yearling purchase set easy fractions of :25.58 and :50.35 in the Pilgrim and reported home a two-length winner at 13-1 that day.

This is third Breeders’ Cup winner for trainer Mike Maker, who also won the 2009 GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile with Furthest Land and 2011 GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile with Hansen.

“I tell you we have been high on him since day one, and with each race, he’s gotten better,” said Maker, a former assistant to the legendary Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas. “It’s very satisfying to get Three Diamonds Farm their very first Breeders’ Cup win.”

As for future plans, Maker added, “We’ll talk it over with the connections, but I’m going to say he’s going to head to Bluewater here for a couple of weeks and go from there. But good thing with a good horse, you have plenty of options.”

Santana added, “I got a beautiful trip. I had plenty of horse in the tank. Thank God everything played out perfect. He put me where he wanted to be and that’s why we won.”

Three Diamonds Farm is the nom-de-course of Kirk Wycoff. Wycoff is managing partner of the Philadelphia-based private equity firm Patriot Financial Partners. He has more than 25 years of experience in entrepreneurial banking and previously led Progress Financial Corp.

Three Diamonds Farm, a close second in last year’s GII Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint with Chimney Rock (Artie Schiller), has also campaigned GISWs Bigger Picture (Badge of Silver) and Next Question (Stormy Atlantic). Three Diamonds has also won graded stakes with Cross Border (English Channel) and Field Pass (Lemon Drop Kid) this year.

Three Diamonds Farm, launched in 2008, also breeds to sell, breeds to race and pinhooks yearlings to sell as 2-year-olds, as well. Also active in the claiming game, Three Diamonds Farm can have anywhere between 25-45 horses in training, depending on the time of year.

“We brought the whole family here,” Wycoff said. “We love Kentucky. We love buying and selling and breeding horses. It was great to be in this race because Mike Maker wanted to enter him in the Juvenile, so we had that wrestling match about three weeks ago. But he’s a lovely horse. He’s good on both surfaces as we saw at Saratoga.”

Wycoff continued, “Thank you to Ricardo. He rode a beautiful race. He knew that you needed to be a little more forwardly placed than maybe the horse wanted to be, and when you watched the first eighth of a mile, he looked to his right, he was very careful, but he didn’t stop after he got the horse out of the gate. He got to a great position and that’s a credit to him. Good horse, good ride.”

Maker concluded, “Last year we were unlucky to lose with Chimney Rock and Fire At Will made us forget all about it.”

Pedigree Notes:

Declaration of War, who has stood on four continents in his seven seasons at stud, has 18 graded winners and 31 black-type winners from his four crops to race. From the second crop of top sire War Front, Declaration of War was the highweighted older horse in both England and Ireland in 2013 after a campaign that included Group 1 wins in the Juddmonte International S. and Queen Anne S., as well as a ship to North America good for third in the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic. He has stood at Coolmore in both Ireland and Kentucky, as well as in Australia. Declaration of War was moved to Japan’s JBBA’s Shizunai Stallion Station for the 2019 breeding season.

Flirt, a Kitten’s Joy mare, brought $375,000 as a 2014 Keeneland September yearling, but was unplaced in only one start and resold three years later as a broodmare at the Keeneland November sale for just $8,000 carrying Fire At Will, her first foal. The family has already worked with this cross, as Flirt’s half-brother is GISW Decorated Invader (Declaration of War). Flirt has a yearling filly by Distorted Humor, who brought $72,000 as a short yearling at Keeneland January this year, and a weanling colt by Mendelssohn. She was bred back to Lemon Drop Kid for next term. That foal will be inbred 3×5 to Seattle Slew, while Fire At Will is 3×5 to another great, Danzig. Kitten’s Joy, recognized as one of the most significant influences among current sires on the grass in North America, has 13 black-type winners to date out of his daughters.

Flirt traces directly to some of the greatest blue hens in the stud book. Rough Shod II is her sixth dam, Moccasin her fifth dam, and Flippers her fourth dam.

Friday, Keeneland
BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE TURF PRESENTED BY COOLMORE AMERICA-GI, $920,000, Keeneland, 11-6, 2yo, c/g, 1mT, 1:35.81, gd.
1–FIRE AT WILL, 122, c, 2, by Declaration of War
                1st Dam: Flirt, by Kitten’s Joy
                2nd Dam: Gamely Girl, by Arch
                3rd Dam: Helstra, by Nureyev
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($97,000 Ylg ’19 KEESEP). O-Three
Diamonds Farm; B-Troy Rankin (KY); T-Michael J. Maker;
J-Ricardo Santana, Jr.. $520,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0,
$657,932. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Battleground, 122, c, 2, War Front–Found (Ire), by Galileo
(Ire). O-Derrocl Smith, Mrs. John Magnier & Michael Tabor;
B-Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt (KY); T-Aidan P. O’Brien.
$170,000.
3–Outadore, 122, c, 2, Outwork–Adore You, by Tactical Cat.
($140,000 Wlg ’18 KEENOV; $290,000 Ylg ’19 KEESEP).
O-Breeze Easy, LLC; B-Deann Baer & Greg Baer DVM (KY);
T-Wesley A. Ward. $90,000.
Margins: 3, NK, HF. Odds: 30.20, 3.80, 9.70.
Also Ran: Cadillac (Ire), Sealiway (Fr), Gretzky the Great, The Lir Jet (Ire), Devilwala (Ire), Ebeko (Ire), Mutasaabeq, Go Athletico (Fr), Public Sector (GB), Abarta, New Mandate (Ire). Scratched: Barrister Tom, Harlan Estate.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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Golden Pal Proves Deserving Favorite To Give Ward Back-To-Back Wins In Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint

Not all brilliant racemares are able to pass on their talents to their offspring, but it's really something special when they do. That was the case on Friday afternoon at Keeneland, when Golden Pal delivered redemption for his dam in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint as the 4-5 favorite in a field of 14 2-year-olds.

Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) is the first foal out of Randal Lowe's homebred Lady Shipman, who ran second in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in 2015, the last time the World Championships were held at Keeneland. Racing for Lowe, Golden Pal went one better with a front-running 3/4-length triumph over Cowan (11-1).

Golden Pal is named in honor of owner/breeder Lowe's mentor, John C. Mabee. Mabee operated Golden Eagle Farm, and his best horse was Best Pal, hence Golden Pal. The colt is 35-year industry veteran Lowe's first winner in the Breeders' Cup.

It was the second straight victory in the Juvenile Turf Sprint for trainer Wesley Ward, who won the race last year with Four Wheel Drive. Coming off a win in the previous race, the TAA Stakes with Rocketry, jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. piloted Golden Pal through the 5 1/2 furlong contest over Keeneland's “good” turf course and stopped the clock in 1:02.82.

Golden Pal out-broke the rest of the field at the start, leaping out to a two-length advantage in the backstretch. Ortiz tried for a sixteenth of a mile to gently ease the colt back off the bridle, but before the half-mile pole the jockey had to reach down and grab the reins hard to slow Golden Pal down. Even with the head-tossing and giving up his early lead, Golden Pal marked the first quarter in 21.62 seconds.

Stablemate Blame the Booze was also prominently placed early, but Golden Pal surged ahead by the quarter pole to again have a two-length lead over the rest of the field.

Meanwhile, Ubettabelieveit totally missed the break and spotted the field several lengths out of the gate. The Nigel Tinkler-trained colt wove through the field around the bend and was making up a ton of ground in the stretch.

Cowan also came from off the pace, inching into Golden Pal's lead in the final strides to nab second, beaten three-quarters of a length for trainer Steve Asmussen and jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. Ubettabelieveit rallied to finish another 1 3/4 lengths back in third, while Lipzzaner was fourth.

“He's just amazing,” Ward said of the winner. “I got a little worried on the backside. Irad kind of lost a little momentum there and took a pretty good hold of him, but then he just accelerated down the lane. When he accelerated past the quarter-pole, I knew we were O.K. I got a little worried on the last part and was hugging onto my son, but we got there. He's a champion colt. Thank God (Randy Lowe) gave him to me to train. I really appreciate it. (Next year's Breeders' Cup) is where we're heading, but first we're going to Royal Ascot. Here we come. He's going to get them this year!”

Bred in Florida by owner Randall Lowe, Golden Pal is out of the Midshipman mare Lady Shipman. The 13-time winner earned over $900,000 on the track, including multiple Grade 1 placings.

Her first colt finished second in his debut at Gulfstream in April, then traveled to Royal Ascot and was just beaten a neck in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes in June. Waiting until August to run Golden Pal again, Ward sent him out to finally break his maiden in the listed Skidmore Stakes at Saratoga. After giving his owner Lowe a first Breeders' Cup victory, Golden Pal's record stands at two wins and two seconds from four starts for earnings of $623,056.

Lowe said the colt will be given a break before coming back to Keeneland in April, then pointing to the Group 1 King's Stand at Royal Ascot and the Group 1 Nunthorpe after that, before a return to the Breeders' Cup next fall.

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