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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