By Patrycja Szpyra
Velocity is defined as the speed of an object going in a given direction, and the aptly named Velocity (Nyquist) proved to be moving fastest as she snuck up the fence to post a monster 35-1 upset in the GI Del Mar Oaks.
A photo finish specialist with two victories by a combined margin of barely half a head, the Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners colorbearer came into the race with a nose victory July 20 over this course against optional claiming company. She'd tried graded company for the first time two back Apr. 27 in Santa Anita's GIII Senorita Stakes, but only managed an even fourth. She broke her maiden at second asking Mar. 29 at that venue by a nose.
When compared to the rest of the field, namely even-money favorite MGSW Thought Process (Collected) and 8-5 chance SW & MGSP Lush Lips (GB) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}), the betting public could only muster 35-1 odds for this daughter of Nyquist.
In midpack as the pacesetter 'TDN Rising Star' SW & MGSP Casalu (Caracaro) rolled through an opening quarter in :23.22 and a half in :46.98, she was stuck on the fence as a wall of runners blocked any open lanes through the bend. The field fanned out for the homeward drive and Thought Process had made her move while Lush Lips was relentlessly closing on the far outside. Diving to the rail as the scramble to her outside finally produced open air, Velocity quickened to strike the front and outkicked the closing Lush Lips to score her career first black-type of any kind. Thought Process managed to save third.
“To be honest I thought she was going to be better on the dirt,” said winning rider Ricardo Gonzalez, who won the second Grade I race of his career, here. “But I had a wonderful trip. I was following Antonio [Fresu on Edge of Mali] all the way around. Just waiting for a little seam, and once I saw it, she went right through it. This is such a fun race to race, especially here in Del Mar.”
“That's as good of a ride as you'll ever see,” said Michael McCarthy. “I thought she got the perfect trip there. A seam opened up on the fence. It was good.”
“She's had a wonderful couple of weeks down here. She was on her toes, in a great way walking around the paddock, coming out through the tunnel. I liked everything I saw today.”
Coming through on the rail! 🏇💨
Velocity & @RickyGonzalez10 score the upset in the Grade I Del Mar Oaks presented by @keenelandsales. pic.twitter.com/O8k3k6TMLU
— Del Mar Racetrack (@DelMarRacing) August 17, 2025
Pedigree Notes:
Velocity is the second black-type earner for her dam, but the first at the highest level. Her eldest half-brother Open Road (Quality Road) was stakes placed in his career and her second older half-sibling was a multiple winner. Blast, herself a half-sister to SW Home Run Maker (Into Mischief) and GISP Fun (Harlan's Holiday), has a juvenile filly named Holly's Holiday (Maxfield) as her most recent of racing age. There is also a yearling Cyberknife filly named Dash and a 2025 Taiba filly. She was bred back to National Treasure for 2026.
The victress is Nyquist's ninth worldwide Grade I winner and his second in 2025 joining Cavalieri, who claimed the GI B. Wayne Hughes Beholder Mile Stakes this past March. Group/Grade I-placed runners for the stallion this season include Gosger, Crimson Advocate, Nysos, Immersive, Randomized, and Zio Jo.
Saturday, Del Mar
DEL MAR OAKS PRESENTED BY KEENELAND SALES S.-GI, $303,000, Del Mar, 8-16, 3yo, f, 1 1/8mT, 1:48.45, fm.
1–VELOCITY, 122, f, 3, by Nyquist
1st Dam: Blast, by Harlan's Holiday
2nd Dam: Home Run, by Empire Maker
3rd Dam: Ninth Inning, by Meadowlake
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. ($27,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP; $75,000 2yo '24 OBSMAR). O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners; B-Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Michael W. McCarthy; J-Ricardo Gonzalez. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 5-3-0-0, $274,800. *1/2 to Open Road (Quality Road), SP, $236,834. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Lush Lips (GB), 122, f, 3, by Ten Sovereigns (Ire)
1st Dam: Lamyaa (GB), by Arcano (Ire)
2nd Dam: Divine Grace (Ire), by Definite Article (GB)
3rd Dam: Grey Patience (Ire), by Common Grounds (GB)
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. (£82,000 Ylg '23 GOFFUK). O-Medallion Racing, Parkland Thoroughbreds and Mrs. Paul Shanahan; B-The Pocock Family (GB); T-Brendan P. Walsh. $60,000.
3–Thought Process, 122, f, 3, by Collected
1st Dam: Creative Thinking (SW-USA, SP-Can, $132,592), by Creative Cause
2nd Dam: Hat Box, by Street Cry (Ire)
3rd Dam: Maiden Tower (GB), by Groom Dancer
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($120,000 RNA Ylg '23 KEESEP; $57,000 RNA Ylg '23 FTKOCT). O-Estate of Brereton C. Jones, Little Red Feather Racing and Madaket Stables LLC; B-Brereton C. Jones (KY); T-Philip D'Amato. $36,000.
Margins: HF, 3/4, HF. Odds: 35.00, 1.70, 1.10.
Also Ran: Take A Breath (GB), Will Then, Slick (Ire), Firenze Flavor, Casalu, Edge of Mali (Ire), Resolve, Striver. Scratched: Miso Phansy.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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