Swilcan Stables, Gary Barber and Wachtel Stable’s Vequist was named a finalist for an Eclipse Award in the 2-year-old Female category, along with Dayoutoftheoffice and Aunt Pearl.
Vequist solidified her spot as a finalist with a commanding two-length score over Dayoutoftheoffice Nov. 6 at Keeneland in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). Prior to that, she was second to that foe in the Frizette S. (G1). In her first stakes start, she cruised to a 9 1/2-length win in the Spinaway S. (G1), and debuted in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden race, where she lost by a nose. Trained by Butch Reid, Jr., Vequist’s earnings on the year totaled $1,235,500.
After she got a brief break following the Breeders’ Cup, Vequist is currently back in training in south Florida, with the Kentucky Oaks (G1) on April 30 as her next major goal.
Bred in Kentucky by Swilcan, Vequist is from the first crop of 2016 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Nyquist and is the third foal out of the Mineshaft mare Vero Amore, who placed in the Black-Eyed Susan S. (G2) and two other black type races.
The Eclipse Award winners will be announced Jan. 28 in a virtual ceremony hosted by Spendthrift Farm. The ceremony will streamed live on multiple outlets, including TVG and Racetrack Television Network, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET.