Gaudreau

Gaudreau made a nice first impression on the racetrack, pressing the pace and fighting bravely in the stretch to win by a half-length over highly regarded 2-year-olds Coach Pope and U. S. S. Valor in a maiden special weight race Aug. 8, 2026, at Saratoga Race Course.

Gaudreau made his second start Oct. 3 at Belmont Park in the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes and finished second behind runaway winner U. S. S. Valor in his stakes debut for trainer Chad Brown.

The bay colt by Nyquist is named after NHL star player Johnny Gaudreau, who along with his brother, Matthew, died tragically when they were struck by a drunk driver while riding bicycles one morning before their sister, Katie, was to be married. Johnny was 31 years old and Matthew was 29. A fourth-round NHL draft pick, Johnny went on to stardom with the Calgary Flames and later the Columbus Blue Jackets, amassing 243 goals and 743 points in 763 NHL games.

Stakes-placed winner Free Cover, by Congrats, is the dam (mother) of Gaudreau.