Florida sunshine beckons to Nyquist

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Doug O’Neill said Monday that undefeated Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Nyquist might wind up preparing for the Kentucky Derby in south Florida this winter.

Based at Santa Anita, O’Neill said he is considering bringing horses to Florida because the El Niño climate phenomenon is expected to bring unseasonable amounts of rain to California this winter. O’Neill has contacted officials at Gulfstream Park about securing stall space for Nyquist and perhaps several other members of his stable.

“It’s really all about Nyquist,” said O’Neill. “Some pretty smart meteorologists are saying it could gush out here in January and February, and in that case, we’ll have to get out with Nyquist. I’m assuming we’ll have a little better reading of what’s going on right after Christmas. Right now, we’re playing everything by ear.”

O’Neill said the timing of the April 2 Florida Derby would be perfect for Nyquist as a final Derby prep. As a graduate of the 2015 Fasig-Tipton March sale held at Gulfstream Park, Nyquist is eligible to earn owner Paul Reddam a $1 million bonus offered by Fasig-Tipton if he wins the Florida Derby. A son of Uncle Mo, Nyquist was purchased by Reddam for $400,000. The Grade 1 Florida Derby has a purse of $1 million.

“The timing of the race is what matters most,” said O’Neill. “The bonus is nice, but it’s way down on the list for determining where we run. The great thing right now is that he has the points and the credentials, so we’re in a really good spot to pick when and where we choose to run him. In a perfect world, I’d love a one-turn comeback race, and a race like the San Vicente out here in the middle of February would be perfect. But we could also bring him back in an allowance race somewhere if we want to.”