Powerful put away rival Mr Bob in the stretch on his way to posting a one-length victory in the 6 ½-furlong Ed Brown Stakes at Churchill Downs on Saturday, 26 November.
The two-year-old Nyquist colt, who earned his first Stakes win in the race, improved his record to two wins and a second in four career starts. Frosted’s son, Frosted Departure, closed late to take third.
Given a heady ride by jockey Tyler Gaffalione, Powerful dueled for the lead with Top Recruit (Midshipman) through the early stages of the race before taking a slight lead on the far turn. The bay colt continued to hold that advantage into the stretch, then responded to urging from his rider to edge clear late to win by a length.
A $525,000 Keeneland September Yearling of 2021, Powerful was bred in Kentucky by Parks Investment Group LLC and races for Courtlandt Farms. His dam Antiquity is a winning daughter of Pulpit and herself is out of the multiple Stakes winner, Stylish Wildcat.
The leading first crop sire of 2020, Nyquist is having yet another solid year, with runners such as G2 winner/G1-placed Slow Down Andy, multiple Graded Stakes winner Turnerloose (G2 Rachel Alexandra Stakes), Scalding (G3 Ben Ali Stakes, G3 Challenger Stakes), Absolutely Zero (Fasig-Tipton Futurity), Breakthrough (Wolf Hill Stakes) and Team Merchants (full brother to Slow Down Andy, multiple Stakes winner).
Nyquist will stand at Jonabell Farm in Kentucky in 2023 for a fee of $55,000, stands and nurses.
