3-Year-Old Nyquist Filly Remains Undefeated Through Three Starts

LAUREL, MD – Next stop, stakes.

Mopo Racing’s Moquist, a 3-year-old daughter of 2016 Florida Derby (G1) and Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Nyquist, earned a shot at stakes company after keeping her perfect record intact with a front-running 3 ½-length victory in Saturday’s sixth race at Laurel Park.

Ridden by Jorge Ruiz for trainer Dale Capuano, Moquist ($3.40) covered seven furlongs in 1:24 over a main track rated good in the open, entry-level allowance for fillies and mares 3 and up. Unraced at 2, all three of Moquist’s wins this year have come against older horses.

Bred in Maryland by Katy Voss and the late Bob Manfuso out of the Speightstown mare Island Bound, Moquist debuted with a 1 ¼-length maiden special weight score Sept. 5 at Timonium. She returned with a four-length win against state-bred/sired horses Sept. 24 at Laurel

“She just keeps winning,” Capuano said. “This was a tougher race. She came out of the one hole and with the track sealed like this, it’s hard for them to get a hold of it. But she did everything right. She galloped out strong. He had plenty of horse, so we’ll see what happens.”

Hustled from the gate by Ruiz from their rail post, Moquist quickly established the lead and went the opening quarter-mile in 22.87 seconds pressed by fellow sophomore Fraudulent Charge, making her first start since March 13 following three consecutive runner-up stakes finishes. Moquist began to gain separation after going the half in 45.91, straightened for home in command and easily turned back a late bid by Belle of the North, who passed Fraudulent Charge for second.

“We just wanted to get out of the gate. We didn’t want to get pinned down in there. She doesn’t have to be in front,” Capuano said. “It’s all good. Can’t complain. Three-for-three.”

Capuano said Moquist would be pointed to the $100,000 Safely Kept for 3-year-old fillies sprinting seven furlongs Nov. 27 at Laurel. The Safely Kept is one of five stakes worth $450,000 in purses over Thanksgiving weekend, Nov. 26-27.

“That’s probably the last straight 3-year-old filly race you’re going to find. That’s about a month away, so that’s probably what we’ll do,” Capuano said. “We’re happy, but the races will get tougher.”

Mopo Racing is the nom de course of TV personality and talk show host and Washington, D.C. native Maury Povich. Moquist’s sire was the champion 2-year-old male of 2015 and also ran third in the Preakness (G1), and her grandsire was the champion sprinter of 2004.

Notes: Jockey Jorge Ruiz registered a natural hat trick Saturday aboard Moquist ($3.40) in Race 6, Polished Gal ($6.80) in Race 7 and Depository ($5.40) in Race 8 … Ain’t Da Beer Cold and Cordmaker, both pre-entered in the $150,000 Maryland Million Classic Oct. 23 at Laurel, each fired bullet workouts Saturday over Laurel’s main track. Stakes-placed Ain’t Da Beer Cold went four furlongs in 47 seconds, fastest of 50 horses, while multiple stakes winner Cordmaker was clocked in 59.20 seconds for five furlongs, first of 21 horses … There will be a carryover of $13,770.10 in the 20-cent Rainbow 6 and $884.45 in the $1 Super Hi-5 for Sunday’s nine-race card. First race post time is 12:40 p.m.