Songbird and Nyquist
A pair of undefeated juvenile stars who made their marks at Del Mar this past summer -- the filly Songbird and the colt Nyquist -- captured their respective 2-year-old championship races in Kentucky today as the 32nd Breeders' Cup unfolded at Keeneland.
Songbird, the towering daughter of Medaglia d'Oro who was a double winner at Del Mar, including the Grade I Del Mar Debutante, won her fourth straight in frontrunning fashion by 5-3/4 lengths in the $2-million 14 Hands Winery Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.
Nyquist, a racy bay son of Uncle Mo who was a double stakes winner at Del Mar with tallies in the Best Pal and Del Mar Futurity, scampered home by a half length in the $2-million Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile for his fifth straight victory.
Songbird is trained by Hall of Fame conditioner Jerry Hollendorfer and has been ridden in all her races by Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith. Nyquist is handled by trainer Doug O'Neill and has been piloted by Mario Gutierrez in all of his outings.
Each horse earned $1,100,000 for their tallies. Songbird now has total winnings of $1,502,000, while Nyquist's bankroll increased to $1,613,600. Songbird ran her mile and one-sixteenth in 1:42.73; Nyquist ran his in 1:43.79.
Both horses are virtually assured Eclipse Awards as champions of their divisions following their sparkling efforts today. Previously, Del Mar champion juveniles accomplished the double Eclipse feat in 2008 when Stardom Bound tied together scores in the Del Mar Debutante and the BC Juvenile Fillies and Midshipman followed up his Del Mar Futurity triumph with a BC Juvenile score.