Nyquist draws post No. 13 for Juvenile

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Nyquist does not enter Saturday’s $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile with quite the fanfare usually bestowed upon an undefeated 2-year-old with a pair of Grade 1 victories on his résumé.

His bandwagon might have lost a few more members Monday when Nyquist drew post No. 13 for the Juvenile at Keeneland, where he will have to use speed to avoid getting hung out too wide entering the first turn.

Trainer Doug O’Neill, the driver of the Nyquist bandwagon, said he believes his horse “has enough tactical speed to still make the lead or be real close and still save ground.”

Sixteen horses, including two also-eligibles, were entered for the Juvenile. Only 14 horses may run, and Siding Spring and Tom’s Ready will need a defection by 8 a.m. Friday in order to draw into the race.

Nyquist, a son of 2010 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Uncle Mo, won the Grade 2 Best Pal, Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity, and Grade 1 FrontRunner Stakes in his last three starts. He laid second, pretty close to the pace, in the early stages of those three stakes.

The other speed includes Riker, who also is 4 for 4, with all of his races won over Woodbine’s synthetic Polytrack surface. He breaks from post 2. Rated R Superstar, who showed speed after breaking from the rail in the Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland, drew post 6.

Greenpointcrusader, the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes winner, drew post 3 under Joe Bravo. He’s had some difficulty in his last two starts breaking from post 2.

“We were hoping to get a little farther outside, but it is what it is. We’ll deal with it,” trainer Dominick Schettino said. “Joe will deal with it. I’m not really worried about it.”

Brody’s Cause, the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity winner, drew post 7, and stablemate Unbridled Outlaw drew post 4.

The others entered were Conquest Big E, Cocked and Loaded, Tale of S’avall, Exaggerator, Ralis, Isotherm, Swipe, and Waterloo Bridge.

Waterloo Bridge made it into the field when Sticksstatelydude had to be withdrawn after sustaining a tendon strain in his right foreleg.