Kentucky Derby 2016: Using Race Results, Highlights to Predict Preakness Winner

The sport of horse racing is excited about its latest superstar.

Nyquist was the 2-1 favorite going into the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, and both fans and journalists expected a big performance from the Doug O'Neill-trained colt.

Nyquist delivered on all the expectations with a sensational performance, and now that he has the first Triple Crown jewel, the hope is that he will deliver again in the Preakness and set the stage for a second consecutive Triple Crown winner.

It sounds ludicrous on its face, since the sport had gone 37 years between Affirmed's 1978 Triple Crown achievement and American Pharoah's spectacular run last year, but Nyquist is a powerful runner who impresses his own handlers as well as the competition. 

At the conclusion of the race, O'Neill was ecstatic with his charge's performance. "Now I have to say it," O'Neill said, per Dana O'Neil of ESPN.com. "This is definitely the best horse I've ever been around."

O'Neill also won the 2012 Kentucky Derby with I'll Have Another.

Nyquist got the trip that O'Neill wanted at Churchill Downs, as jockey Mario Gutierrez broke alertly from the No. 13 post. Nyquist got close to the lead and then settled in comfortably behind Danzing Candy at the first turn, and that allowed Gutierrez to let his horse relax all the way down the back stretch.

When the field reached the far turn, Nyquist and Gun Runner turned it on and passed the tiring Danzing Candy. Gun Runner had the lead for an instant, but he was no match for Nyquist, who roared to the front.

It was clear that it was Nyquist's race for much of the stretch, but he had to hold off Exaggerator in deep stretch because the closer was eating up ground in the final furlong.

Gutierrez has great confidence every time he rides Nyquist. "He's not going to allow another horse to beat him. He always has something left," Gutierrez said, per O'Neil. "If someone's coming late, he can win by five lengths or he can win by a nose. If anyone is coming late, I'll know he'll have something else."

The 1 3/16-mile Preakness will be another challenge for Nyquist, but he has proved himself worthy every time he has gone to the post. The Kentucky Derby victory was his eighth consecutive victory, and he has never lost in his career.

Race Results	Horse	Post	Lengths Behind
1	Nyquist	13	--
2	Exaggerator	11	1 1/4
3	Gun Runner	5	4 1/2
4	Mohaymen	14	4 1/2
5	Suddenbreakingnews	2	4 1/2
6	Destin	9	6 3/4
7	Brody's Cause	19	9 1/4
8	Mo Tom	4	10
9	Lani	8	10 1/2
10	Mor Spirit	17	14 1/4
11	My Man Sam	6	14 1/4
12	Tom's Ready	12	16 3/4
13	Creator	3	18
14	Outwork	15	18 1/4
15	Danzing Candy	20	19 3/4
16	Trojan Nation	1	27 1/2
17	Oscar Nominated	7	33 1/4
18	Majesto	18	37 1/2
19	Whitmore	10	38
20	Shagaf	16	DNF

The Preakness field has not been set, but Exaggerator is expected to run in the Baltimore race, according to the Blood-Horse.

Jay Privman of the Daily Racing Form tweeted that Stradivari may be the only Todd Pletcher-trained colt to run in the Preakness, while Bob Baffert could send Collected to the second leg of the Triple Crown. Pletcher also trained Derby runners Destin (6th) and Outwork (14th), but plans have not been made for those horses yet.

Gun Runner, Suddenbreakingsnews, Lani and Brody's Cause may also run in Baltimore, according to Ed Gray of the Boston Herald.

Nyquist represents a major challenge for any horse that enters the Preakness. 

Kiaran McLaughlin trains Mohaymen, a horse that Nyquist has beaten twice (the Florida Derby and the Kentucky Derby). Mohaymen finished fourth in both races.

‘‘Congratulations to Nyquist, he’s still undefeated,’’ McLaughlin said, per Beth Harris of the Associated Press (h/t Boston Globe). ‘‘I don’t know about the Triple Crown, but he'll have a great year.’’

Prediction

The Preakness field is likely to consist of the best Derby runners and other top-rated three-year-olds.

No matter who competes in the race, it's difficult to think that anyone is going to be better than Nyquist. In addition to his ability to run successfully no matter what style O'Neill and Gutierrez choose, he is clearly comfortable with the distance.

He answered critics who said that the 1 1/4-mile distance in the Kentucky Derby would be too much for him.

The oddsmakers agree, as Odds Shark has him listed as a minus-170 favorite to win the Preakness. 

Nyquist will surely be challenged by Exaggerator and some of the other strong horses who end up in the Preakness field. However, he will find a way to get to the winner's circle and will pick up the second jewel of the Triple Crown.