Nyquist aims to stay unbeaten with run in San Vicente Stakes

Nyquist and Exaggerator, both graded-stakes wiers and rated among the top five in this newspaper’s Kentucky Derby rankings, make their 3-year-old debuts today in the $200,000 Grade II San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita.

Nyquist, unbeaten in five starts and wier of the Eclipse Award as top 2-year-old male, drew the rail in the six-horse field as he shoots for his fifth consecutive graded-stakes victory. He won the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last fall at Keeneland.

Exaggerator, who’s won three of six, will break from the No. 5 hole in the seven-furlong event. Exaggerator, a son of Curlin, has come up second best to Nyquist in both their head-to-head meetings, including a three-length loss while finishing fourth in the Breeders’ Cup.

Still, Exaggerator’s trainer, Keith Desormeaux, is not deterred.

“We’ve got Nyquist right where we want him now,” he said.

Nyquist, by Uncle Mo, perhaps hasn’t received the type of respect an unbeaten Breeders’ Cup wier should get. Despite the success, he’s not listed on top in many Kentucky Derby rankings, but that doesn’t seem to bother trainer Doug O’Neill.

“I actually don’t mind flying under the radar,” O’Neill said. “I just want to keep flying.”

Nyquist, the 4-5 moing-line favorite, will be ridden by Mario Gutierrez, who has been aboard for all five of the colt’s races and rode 2012 Derby wier I’ll Have Another for O’Neill and owner J. Paul Reddam.

Desormeaux’s brother, veteran Hall of Fame rider Kent Desormeaux, will again be aboard Exaggerator as the Desormeauxs bid to become only the third brothers to team up on a horse in the Kentucky Derby.

- - , .