After posing with the Stanley Cup on Saturday morning, Nyquist took the first step toward horse racing's ultimate prize.
Nyquist, named after Red Wings forward Gustav Nyquist, won the 142nd Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. The 2-1 favorite paid $6.60.
"He's just such a special horse," trainer Doug O'Neill told NBC. "You can just see it in his eyes on a daily basis. He's such a professional. Any human sport, he'd be the top-notch athlete. He's just first-class."
Nyquist is the first Derby winner to win his first eight races. The 3-year-old will try for the second jewel of racing's Triple Crown on May 21 in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.