Johannes passed his first two-turn test with flying colors when he cruised to a three-and-a-half-length victory in Santa Anita’s Listed Pasadena Stakes on Sunday, 2 April.
It was the second straight Stakes victory for the three-year-old Nyquist colt, who captured the Baffle Stakes in early March. The handsome bay colt remains perfect in three turf starts and has now won three of six career starts.
Ridden confidently by jockey Umberto Rispoli, Johannes broke sharply and was settled at the rear of the compact field of four early, content to track the early pace set by Wizard of Westwood. Johannes continued to let Wizard of Westwood lead the way down the backstretch, as just four lengths covered the field from front-to-back.
Johannes began to edge closer on the far turn, sweeping into contention and taking the lead at the top of the stretch. From there the race was all but over, as Johannes cruised through the lane and to the wire an easy winner. Game Time claimed second over Wizard of Westwood, with Keen to Go bringing up the rear.
Bred in Kentucky by owner Cuyathy LLC, Johannes is out of the mare Cuyathy, a Stakes-placed daughter of Congrats. Cuyathy is a half-sister to multiple Graded Stakes-placed Join in the Dance (Sky Mesa), and the family also boasts of such standouts as Pennyhill Park (Champion Older Mare in Canada), Elm Drive (G2 Sorrento Stakes) and Mother of Dragons (California Governor’s Handicap).
The leading first-crop sire of 2020, Nyquist is #1 on the cumulative fourth-crop sires list by G1 horses (9), Graded Stakes horses (22) and Black Type horses (43). In addition to Johannes, Nyquist is also represented by the promising Flying Connection, recent winner of the Listed Sunland Park Oaks.
Nyquist stands at Jonabell Farm for a fee of $55,000 in 2023.
