Lexington Stakes winner Gosger has won two straight and looks to make it three straight, which would give trainer Brendan Walsh his first Middle Jewel. He’ll need a big outing today.

9. Gosger (20-1)

Post Position: 9
Color/Sex: Gray/roan colt
Age: 3
Sire–Dam–Damsire: Nyquist – Gloria S – Tapit
Owner: Harvey A. Clarke Racing Stables LLC
Trainer: Brendan Walsh
Jockey: Luis Saez
Record: 3 starts: 2 wins, 1 place, 0 shows
Earnings: $292,200
Typical Running Style: Press-stalk
Last Raced: April 12, 2025 – G3 Lexington – Won by 2 lengths
Note: Looked good in winning the Lexington but must improve
Quote: “I thought he took a big step up in the Lexington off a maiden win, and he looks like he’s come forward again.” – Brendan Walsh

Gosger (20-1) heads into the Preakness with the confidence of a recent winner, having taken the G3 Lexington Stakes by 2 lengths. Though still relatively inexperienced, the gray colt has shown steady progression and is now looking to take another step up in class. Trained by Brendan Walsh and ridden by Luis Saez, Gosger will need to improve again if he hopes to contend with the tougher competition in Baltimore, but his connections are making the right noises.

BREEDING

Gosger, a homebred for Harvey A. Clarke Racing Stables, is by Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist out of the Tapit mare Gloria S.

Gloria S was unraced but is the dam of six foals to race, all winners. Among them is Harvey’s Lil Goil, who was a stakes winner and Grade 1-placed on dirt and a Grade 1 winner on turf, as well.

The average winning distance of the dam’s offspring is more than a mile – not surprising given her sire Tapit – so there’s plenty of distance on that side.

On the top line, Nyquist, a son of Uncle Mo, made over $5 million on the track. He won the first eight starts of his career, capped by a smashing win in the Kentucky Derby. That was the end of that, though, as he then finished third, behind Exaggerator, in the Preakness, fourth behind that same runner in the Haskell, and sixth, behind Connect in the Pennsylvania Derby before retiring to the breeding shed.

He’s certainly made a good impression there and now stands for $175,000. His progeny win at a 17% clip in dirt routes with an average winning distance overall of 7.1 furlongs. Top runners include last year’s champion two-year-old filly Immersive, multiple Grade 1 winner Randomized, and Grade 1 winner Slow Down Andy.