Nyquist puts in one-mile breeze

DEL MAR, Calif. – Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist worked one mile in 1:41.80 on Saturday at San Luis Rey Downs, his second drill since moving to that training facility one month ago. Exercise rider Jonny Garcia was up.

“He looks fantastic. His weight is great,” said trainer Doug O’Neill. “He got a good blow over the track. It’s got a great cushion. I’m very happy with how he’s done here. We’re headed the right way.”

Nyquist went to San Luis Rey Downs in early August when O’Neill said he was going through a growth spurt and wanted to have Nyquist retain his fitness by swimming to keep weight off his back temporarily. Nyquist, last year’s champion 2-year-old male, was fourth most recently in the Haskell Invitational, his second straight loss.

Nyquist is scheduled to work on the next two Saturdays before embarking to Parx for the Grade 2, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 24. O’Neill said Nyquist likely would remain at San Luis Rey Downs until he goes to Parx.

O’Neill’s Del Mar-based barn will be heading to Santa Anita in the coming days.

“We’ll do whatever is in Nyquist’s best interests, and right now, staying here is in his best interests,” O’Neill said.

Cupid, Jazzy Times breeze

Cupid, the winner of the West Virginia Derby in his last start, and Jazzy Times, who had to be scratched from the Grade 1 King’s Bishop at Saratoga owing to a minor foot bruise last month, worked five furlongs in company in 58.40 seconds on Saturday at Del Mar in preparation for upcoming stakes races. Both 3-year-olds are trained by Bob Baffert.

Cupid has taken his act on the road quite frequently, with wins in Arkansas and Indiana in addition to West Virginia, and he’ll be headed out of town again. He is scheduled to face Nyquist in the Pennsylvania Derby, Baffert said.

Jazzy Times bounced back quickly from his foot bruise. “He was bad for one day,” Baffert said. Always a good work horse, he went well within himself Saturday while inside of Cupid.

Baffert said Jazzy Times “is nominated to everything,” but the current leading candidate for his next start is the Grade 2, $250,000 Phoenix going six furlongs against older horses at Keeneland on Oct. 7.