NEW YORK -- And now, a few words about undefeated horses running in the Kentucky Derby -- Nyquist, specifically.
The 3-year-old son of Uncle Mo blew away now once-beaten Mohaymen in winning the Florida Derby on Saturday to boost his record to 7 for 7.
Nyquist again proved more than worthy of his No. 1 spot on the AP's Top 10 list of Kentucky Derby contenders. He's also the 3-1 favorite in the Derby's final future wager odds.
As for becoming an unbeaten Derby winner, the odds against Nyquist are not as long as one might think.
Twenty-six horses with undefeated records have entered the Derby starting gate in the past 100 years, and seven were still undefeated after the Run for the Roses. That would put Nyquist's odds of winning a little better than 4-1.
Nyquist will be the first horse taking a 7-0 or better record into the Derby in 26 years -- since Mister Frisky ran eighth in 1990 after winning 16 in a row (the first 13 in Puerto Rico). Big Brown in 2008, Barbaro in 2006 and Smarty Jones in 2004 all won the Derby, but came into the race with six or fewer victories.
Seattle Slew remains the only undefeated Triple Crown winner, coming into the races at 6-0 and then sweeping the Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes in 1977.
The other unbeaten Derby winners are Majestic Prince (1969), Morvich (1922) and Regret (1915).
Onward to May 7.
Even with a fourth-place finish, Mohaymen still has five victories in six starts and doesn't lose much ground this week, dropping one spot to No. 3. Louisiana Derby winner Gun Runner moves up to No. 2, and Triple Crown-winning trainer Bob Baffert has No. 4 Cupid and No. 7 Mor Spirit.
Significant changes are likely after Saturday's three Derby preps -- Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, Santa Anita Derby and Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.
All three carry a total of 180 Derby qualifying points -- 100 for first, 50 for second, 20 for third and 10 for fourth. Finish first or second -- maybe even third -- and a spot in a full 20-horse field is all but set.
• The Wood features undefeated Shagaf (3-0) in a field that could total 10.
• The Santa Anita Derby will have a small but deep field in Danzing Candy, Mor Spirit and Exaggerator. Danzing Candy beat Mor Spirit in the San Felipe last month.
• The Blue Grass field keeps growing, with as many as 13 starters possible. Among them are Zulu, Brody's Cause and American Dubai.
Wrapping up last weekend's preps:
• The rare pre-Derby duel between best in the East (Mohaymen) and best in the West (Nyquist) was brief -- and decisive. And Nyquist jockey Mario Gutierrez's strategy contributed to it.
Mohaymen ranged up on the outside of Nyquist as the horses headed into the stretch, and Gutierrez allowed Nyquist to drift further out coming around the far turn. That forced Junior Alvarado aboard Mohaymen even further outside toward the center of the track. Nyquist pulled away and beat Majesto by 3¼ lengths.
"I saw the gray horse (Mohaymen) coming and I decided if he was going to pass me," Gutierrez said, "he was going to do it running wide."
• At Turfway Park, 23-1 shot Oscar Nominated prevailed in the Spiral Stakes to earn 50 Derby qualifying points. Problem is he' still not Triple Crown nominated. Owner Ken Ramsey says the supplemental entry fee of $200,000 will be paid. He now tells the Courier-Journal that someone has accepted his offer and stepped forward to pay the fee for a chance to split any earnings the horse gets from Triple Crown races.
Sports on 04/05/2016