Nyquist back to galloping

As the sun rose Monday morning, Kentucky Derby favorite Nyquist was allowed to gallop for the first time in more than a week.

"I let him go and I said, 'Have fun out there,'" said Jack Sisterson, assistant to trainer Doug O'Neill. "And he did."

With exercise rider Jonny Garcia aboard, Nyquist jogged a lap and galloped a lap of Keeneland's main track. It was his first gallop since winning the Florida Derby on April 2 to remain unbeaten in seven career starts.

Nyquist arrived at Keeneland on April 3, but his return to training was delayed a few days by an elevated white blood cell count discovered during routine blood work. The colt, whose team said was becoming a handful to walk in the shedrow during his downtime, jogged on Saturday and Sunday and was eager to do more.

"Jonny's happy, said he felt great," Sisterson said. "He looked great. ... We're in a good position."

Sisterson said Nyquist would now be galloping daily, with O'Neill and owner Paul Reddam conferring on his work schedule. O'Neill will fly in from California to oversee Nyquist's breeze when it occurs.