Nyquist won the 142nd Kentucky Derby, a victory that the 3-year-old undefeated champion was expected to take.
Nyquist was the favorite for the race Saturday afternoon with 2-1 odds. Exaggerator followed close behind in second place, and Gun Runner took third.
Saturday's top horses however, had big horse shoes to fill.
Last year's race was won by the historic American Pharoah, who swept the Triple Crown with a decisive win last year at the Churchill Downs. He also won the Breeder's Cup in 2015, making him the first horse to win a Grand Slam of American horse racing.
But on Saturday, with a 7-0 record at stake, all eyes of horse race fans were on Nyquist.
Nyquist had a good start right out of the gate. Although Danzing Candy took the early lead, Nyquist stayed with the leading pack.
Nyquist and jockey Mario Gutierrez waited to make their move, keeping a steady pace but never falling behind third place.
It was during the final stretch that Nyquist took a commanding lead.
It was a lead he held tightly, crossing the finish line and pushing his undefeated record to 8-0.
"There's just no words for it," said jockey Mario Gutierrez, who has ridden Nyquist since the horse was 2 years old.
