Nyquist Tops Darley 2027 Roster at $225,000

Nyquist continues his reign at the top of the Darley America at Jonabell Farm roster in 2027, standing for a career high of $225,000. The 13-year-old son of Uncle Mo has sired 13 career grade 1 winners and 16 million-dollar sales yearlings. His top performers this year include Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) winner Knightsbridge, who will join the Darley stallion roster next year. Other top Nyquist runners of 2026 are Metropolitan Handicap (G1) winner Nysos, Alcibiades Stakes (G1) winner Emphatic, Fleur de Lis Stakes (G2) winner Immersive, Peter Pan Stakes (G3) winner Growth Equity, and Gotham Stakes (G3) winner Iron Honor. Nyquist had a breakout year at the yearling sales with 11 selling for $1 million or more, led by a $3.2 million session-topper at Fasig-Tipton's The Saratoga Sale and a $2.25 million session-topper during the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He is expected to have several Breeders' Cup World Championships contenders, including Knightsbridge in either the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) or Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1), Emphatic in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), Gaudreau in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), and Immersive in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1). Nyquist ranks fourth on the North American leading general sires list with more than $14.8 million in progeny earnings. Also new to the Darley roster next year is 2025 Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old male Sovereignty, who won the Kentucky Derby (G1), Belmont Stakes (G1), and Travers Stakes (G1) at 3, and added the Whitney Stakes (G1) this year at 4. He is the only horse ever to win the Kentucky Derby, Travers, and Whitney, and he joins Darley's Street Sense as the only Kentucky Derby winners to take the Travers in the past 30 years. In addition to his four grade 1 victories, he won the Street Sense Stakes (G3) at 2 and the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) and Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) at 3. The fastest son of multiple leading sire Into Mischief, he earned a 116 Equibase Speed Figure and 115 Beyer Speed Figure for his 10-length victory in the Travers and a 118 ESF and 112 Beyer in the Whitney. Along with a 6-length win in the Pacific Classic, Knightsbridge's five graded stakes wins include an 11 1/4-length win in the Gulfstream Park Mile Stakes (G3) earning a 109 ESF and 112 Beyer. His 122 Beyer for his 10 1/4-length victory in the Monmouth Cup Stakes (G3) is the best figure since Flightline. A half brother to exciting freshman sire and future roster-mate Speaker's Corner, Knightsbridge is out of the Bernardini mare Tyburn Brook, a daughter of Breeders' Cup Distaff and Acorn Stakes (G1) winner Round Pond. Fees for both Sovereignty and Knightsbridge will be announced after the Breeders' Cup. Maxfield's 18 first-crop stakes horses include both the fastest 3-year-old colt and the fastest 3-year-old filly this year: multiple grade 1 winner and Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) contender Englishman, whose 117 Beyer is the best for a 3-year-old colt since Flightline, and Prioress Stakes (G3) winner Mashallah, whose 106 Beyer on debut at Keeneland is the best for a 3-year-old filly so far this year and the highest debut Beyer for a filly in the past 25 years. Maxfield will stand for $75,000 in 2027. Essential Quality, sire of Pennsylvania Derby (G1) winner The Puma, will again stand for $25,000, while exciting freshman Speaker's Corner's fee will be announced after the Breeders' Cup, where he is expected to be represented by impressive 7-length Oak Leaf Stakes (G2) winner Domain Expansion in the Juvenile Fillies. Cody's Wish, the 2023 Horse of the Year and two-time Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner, and Clark Stakes (G1) winner Proxy, both of whom will see their first juveniles race in 2027, will stand for $55,000 and $7,500, respectively. Rounding out the roster will be Street Sense at $35,000, Hard Spun and Midshipman at $15,000 each, and First Mission, Highland Falls, and Mystic Guide at $7,500 apiece. BloodHorse contributed to this story. The complete 2027 Jonabell roster is: