LEXINGTON Ky. — There's an early clubhouse leader in the debate about who might emerge as next year's best young filly.
Vequist won the $2 million, Grade 1 Juvenile Fillies on the opening day of the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington on Friday. The Robert Reid trainee left the gate at 8-1 odds under jockey Joel Rosario and took over the lead from runner-up Dayoutoftheoffice in the stretch, cruising to the wire for a 2-length victory.
Each year at the Breeders' Cup, Future Stars Friday acts as a showcase for talented young Thoroughbreds set to make big waves in the industry the following season. The Juvenile Fillies featured seven 2-year-olds who'll compete on the 3-year-old circuit in 2021 with hopes of landing a spot in the Kentucky Oaks the day before the Kentucky Derby.
A daughter of 2016 Kentucky Derby champion Nyquist, Vequist figures to have a leg up on the Oaks trail after a pretty dominant run on Friday.
"She looked great coming in ... She's a sharp filly," Reid said.
Asked if his instincts told him Vequist was primed for the win, Reid said: "I don't know that you ever have that kind of feeling but we knew she was doing very well and we know she's a very talented filly."
Girl Daddy finished third and Simply Ravishing fourth.
