2020 Eclipse Awards: Vequist
She lost the battle to Dayoutoftheoffice in the Frizette, but Vequist won the war when she surged to victory nearly four weeks later in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Always close to the inner rail, Vequist emerged a two-length winner after racing near the pace under Joel Rosario.
“Nothing bothers this filly,” a jubilant Butch Reid, the trainer of Vequist, said in the Breeders’ Cup aftermath. “To get a little dirt in her face doesn’t really faze her.”
Based with Reid at his longtime base at Parx Racing in suburban Philadelphia, Vequist began her career with a nose defeat under Frankie Pennington in a July 29 maiden dash at her home track. The effort was sufficient to attract high-profile suitors, and before long, Gary Barber and the Wachtel Stable of Adam Wachtel had bought majority interest from the filly’s breeder, the Swilcan Stables of Thomas McGrath, who retained a 25 percent ownership interest.
An immediate breakthrough was forthcoming. Still a maiden, Vequist won the Grade 1 Spinaway going seven furlongs on closing weekend of the Saratoga meet by an eye-catching 9 1/2 lengths, marking her as a major player in the division. Luis Saez was aboard in a 6-1 triumph that equated to an 83 Beyer Speed Figure.
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“When I ran her in the 4 1/2-furlong race, it was more or less getting a race under her belt,” Reid said. “She was going to be looking for longer things down the road.”
Saez was back aboard for the Grade 1 Frizette on Oct. 10 at Belmont Park. Vequist just wasn’t good enough that day, finishing two lengths behind the victorious Dayoutoftheoffice.
The Grade 1 BC Juvenile Fillies, held Nov. 6 at Keeneland, was an altogether different story. Carefully rated by Rosario when saving ground on both turns of the 1 1/16-mile race, Vequist exploded in the final furlong, quickening past front-running Dayoutoftheoffice to win going away. She earned a 93 Beyer.
“I never gave up my position,” said Rosario. “As soon as I asked her, she went on with it. It was a very good performance.”
In the BC aftermath, Reid thanked his wife and assistant, Ginny, as well as the filly’s owners.
“Ginny did just a fabulous job with the filly here this week,” he said. As for Barber and Wachtel, he was grateful they decided to keep Vequist in his care following their August purchase.
“It doesn’t often happen that way,” said Reid. “I can’t thank them enough for giving me a shot like this.”
Vequist was bred in Kentucky by Swilcan. She is from the first crop of 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist and was produced by Vero Amore, by Mineshaft. Her earnings on the year totaled $1,235,500.
Vequist was turned out shortly after the Breeders’ Cup at the Ocala, Fla., farm of Barry Eisaman and was scheduled to return to training sometime in January with Reid in South Florida with the April 30 Kentucky Oaks being the first major target.