Nyquist among O'Neill horses shipping to Belmont Park for upcoming stakes

BALTIMORE - Trainer Doug O’Neill was heading back to Southern California on Sunday morning, but a small contingent of his stable - led by Kentucky Derby winner and beaten Preakness favorite Nyquist - were heading to New York on Monday.

Nyquist, who finished third to Exaggerator in Saturday’s sloppy $1.5 million Preakness, was reported to have come out of his third-place finish in good order and will be pointed to the Belmont Stakes and a rematch with Exaggerator on June 11.

“We’re excited. Obviously it didn’t work out yesterday but that’s racing,” said Jack Sisterson, an assistant to O’Neill who will oversee the Belmont Park-based string.

Nyquist will be accompanied on a van Monday by Jeremy’s Legacy, a 3-year-old filly who will target the $200,000 Wonder Again Stakes on June 5; Guns Loaded, who is scheduled to run in the Grade 3, $300,000 Jaipur on Belmont Stakes Day; Sorry About Nothing, pointing to a Belmont Stakes day allowance race; and Land Over Sea, sixth in the Black-Eyed Susan. Her next start is undecided.

In the coming days, Donworth, third in the Charles Town Classic, and Mrazek, second in the Laz Barrera, will ship from California to Belmont for the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap and Grade 2 Woody Stephens, respectively. Both of those races are run on June 11.

Nyquist may have made his mark in Southern California, but he has been in the East since late March, when he shipped to Gulfstream to win the Florida Derby.

It is likely Nyquist - and Exaggerator for that matter - remains in the East for a few more months. The California stakes program for 3-year-olds is light with only the $100,000 Affirmed on July 2 at Santa Anita available on dirt. Other options - including the $500,000 Gold Cup on June 25 or the Pacific Classic in August at Del Mar- would mean facing older horses. California Chrome is likely to run in the Pacific Classic and perhaps Beholder - who won that race last year - as well.

In the East, for 3-year-olds, there is the Jim Dandy on July 30 at Saratoga, the Haskell on July 31 at Monmouth Park, and the West Virginia Derby on Aug. 6. Those three races all lead to the Travers at Saratoga on Aug. 27.

“There are a lot more options back East than in California,” Sisterson said. “Fingers crossed, we’re back here for a while I think. I’ve never been to Saratoga. I’d like to go.”