No Nay Never

No Nay Never (foaled 1 March 2011) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old he was unbeaten in three races and was best known for his exploits in Europe where he won the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot in England and the Prix Morny in France. He was noted for his exceptional size and his speed over sprint distances and was rated one of the best juvenile colts to race in Europe in 2013. As a three-year-old he won the Woodford Stakes and was narrowly beaten when favorite for the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

Background

No Nay Never is an unusually large bay colt bred in Kentucky by Jayne Doi Johnson & David Sparrow. He was sired by Scat Daddy who won the Champagne Stakes in 2006 and the Florida Derby in 2007 before his racing career was ended by injury. Scat Daddy's other offspring include Daddy Long Legs and the American Oaks winner Lady of Shamrock.^[2]

As a foal in November 2011, No Nay Never was consigned by Hunter Valley Farm to the Keeneland Breeding Stock sale where he was bought for $170,000 by Chestnut Valley.^[3] The colt was returned to the sales at Keeneland in September 2012 where he was sold for $95,000 to Cromwell Bloodstock.^[4] No Nay Never entered the ownership of Ice Wine Stables and was sent into training with Wesley Ward. He usually races in a hood.

Racing career

2013: two-year-old season

No Nay Never made his racecourse debut in a maiden race over four and a half furlongs on the synthetic Polytrack surface at Keeneland Racecourse on April 26. Ridden by Joel Rosario he started 8/10 favourite and led from the start, winning by two lengths from Solitary Ranger, with a gap of six and a half lengths back to the rest of the nine runner field.^[5]

In June, No Nay Never was sent to Europe to contest the Group Three Norfolk Stakes over five furlongs at Royal Ascot. His trainer, Wesley Ward, had had previous success at the Ascot meeting, winning the Windsor Castle Stakes with Strike the Tiger and the Queen Mary Stakes with Jealous Again in 2009. Ridden again by Rosario, No Nay Never started the 4/1 second favourite behind the Aidan O'Brien-trained Coach House in a field of fourteen runners. The American colt started poorly, bumping against the side of the starting stalls but quickly took the lead, before being settled by Rosario. He regained the lead inside the final furlong and won impressively by a length and a head from Coach House and Wind Fire.^[6] The winning time of 58.8 was a new course record for two-year-olds.^[7] After the race Rosario said "I'm happy to be here and it's awesome. He put it all together, took me to the lead and is a good horse".^[8]

Two months later, No Nay Never returned to Europe for the Group One Prix Morny over 1200 m at Deauville Racecourse, despite concerns that the colt might struggle to show his best form on the soft turf. He was ridden by David Flores and started at odds of 7/4 with his main opposition expected to come from the fillies Vorda (Prix Robert Papin) and Rizeena (Queen Mary Stakes). The colt was among the leaders from the start before accelerating away from the field 200 m from the finish and winning by a length from Vorda, with Rizeena three quarters of a length away in third.^[7][9] The Racing Post described him as a "raw and explosive talent", whilst Ward expressed the opinion that his success should encourage more North American owners and trainers to try their horses in Europe.^[10] The form of No Nay Never's win was boosted when Vorda and Rizeena won the Cheveley Park Stakes and the Moyglare Stud Stakes respectively. No Nay Never did not race again in 2013, with Wesley Ward saying that the colt would probably begin his 2014 campaign in North America before returning to Europe for the St James's Palace Stakes.^[11]

In the official European ratings published in January 2014, No Nay Never tied with War Command as the third-best two-year-old of 2013, behind Toormore and the Cartier Award winner Kingston Hill.^[12]

2014: three-year-old season

On his first appearance as a three-year-old, No Nay Never made his debut on dirt when he started 2/5 favourite for the Grade II Swale Stakes at Gulfstream Park on March 1. He took the lead early in the straight but was overtaken a furlong from the finish and beaten two and a half lengths by Spot.

After a break of more than seven months, No Nay Never returned in the Grade III Woodford Stakes over five and a half furlongs at Keeneland Racecourse on October 4. Ridden by Mike Smith he disputed the lead from the start, went two lengths clear in the straight, and held on to win by half a length from the four-year-old Mongol Bull. After the race, Ward said that he was "leaning" towards running the colt in the Breeders' Cup Sprint.^[13] The colt's connections opted to bypass the Breeders' Cup Sprint, running instead in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita Park on November 1. Ridden by Frankie Dettori, he started the 18/5 favourite against thirteen opponents. He took the lead inside the final furlong but was overtaken in the last strides by Bobby's Kitten and finished second in a blanket finish, half a length behind the winner. After the race Dettori said "They came so wide he didn't have time to fight back. The race went to plan and we just got robbed on the line".^[14]

Pedigree

No Nay Never is inbred 3 x 4 to Mr Prospector. This means that the stallion appears in both the third and the fourth generation of his pedigree.

References