Vequist and Search Results, two of the top 3-year-old fillies in the country, will both sit out the rest of 2021, with both of their trainers telling the Daily Racing Form nothing is seriously off with either horse.
The Champion 2-Year-Old Filly of 2020, Vequist was going to run in a seven-furlong allowance at Saratoga. That marked her return from a six-month hiatus. But trainer Butch Reid told the DRF he’s putting her on the shelf for the duration of this season.
Reid told the DRF that the daughter of 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist “had a minor setback coming out of her last work.†That last work came Aug. 15 at Saratoga, a four-furlong breeze in 48.23 seconds. That was the 12th-fastest of 80 horses working that distance that day.
Vequist hasn’t raced since finishing a poor ninth in the Grade 2 Davona Dale at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 27. Reid entered her in both that Saratoga allowance and the Grade 3 Cathryn Sophia Stakes at Parx. That was a backup in case the allowance didn’t field enough entries.
Vequist, Search Results went different directions in 2021
Last year, Vequist went 2-for-4. Both wins came in Grade 1s at the Spinaway at Saratoga and in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.
With four victories, a second and a third, Search Results enjoyed a much more successful 3-year-old campaign than did Vequist. But trainer Chad Brown told the DRF that, even though there’s nothing wrong with the daughter of Flatter, this season’s six-race workload took its toll.
“She just looks like a horse that needs a break,†Brown told the DRF. “She’s been going a while now.â€
Search Results goes 4-for-6 this year
Where the consistent Search Results went this year, results followed. She won her first three races, including a Gulfstream Park allowance, the Listed Busher Stakes at Aqueduct, and the Grade 3 Gazelle at Aqueduct. Search Results finished second by a neck to Malathaat in the Kentucky Oaks. She rebounded in June, winning the Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont Park as the 9/10 favorite on the Belmont Stakes undercard.
Last out, Search Results finished third in the Grade 1 Test Stakes at Saratoga as the 1.80/1 favorite.
Terribly ignorant tweet…this filly has been in constant training for 10 months and is asking ME for a break. I listen. You can’t complain when trainers/owners retire horses early AND also when they stop to preserve their 4 and 5yo seasons. Hard to have both ways 🤔
— Chad C. Brown (@TheRealChadCBr1) August 23, 2021
Brown said that, when Search Results returns in 2022, she’ll return as a true router.
“I’m really looking forward to running her in mile-and-an-eighth races next year,†Brown told the DRF. “That was a really good race in the (Kentucky) Oaks. If she can just get a couple of lengths faster as a 4-year-old, she’s a real player in these mile-and-an-eighth races all over the place next year.â€
