At a glance
- Colt, Ontario-bred, foaled March 17, 2024
- By Nyquist out of Dark Mission
- Trainer: Kevin Attard
- Acquired at 2025 Keeneland September Yearling Sale
- Owned in partnership with X-men Racing
Behind the name
Historically, dragoons were regiments of mounted infantry able to enter the fray with maximum speed, adaptability and impact. The Canadian version of these shock troops was the nation’s first professional cavalry regiment: the distinguished Royal Canadian Dragoons.
The Dragoons were baptized under fire in 1900 during the Battle of Leliefontein, a pivotal engagement in the South African War. Encountering a stronger Boer resistance than expected, a British commander withdrew his forces and ordered the under strength Royal Canadian Dragoons – roughly 100 Canucks, a single horse drawn machine gun, and two field guns – to cover the chaotic retreat of the main body of infantry, mounted rifles and artillery.
Reinforced and emboldened, Boer commandos advanced on the Dragoons who were thinly deployed across a 4-to-5-kilometre-wide line. The Canadian rearguard stood firm against repeated waves of assaults that built into a decisive charge by 200 mounted enemy intent on breaking the line, falling upon the British, and seizing their coveted artillery guns.
Fighting fiercely in close quarters, a handful of Royal Canadian Dragoons repelled the attack and allowed the main British column to escape with their field guns and their lives. Many of the Canadians received awards for valour.
The Dragoons are the only unit in Canadian military history to have three of its members awarded the Victoria Cross in a single day.
In WWI, the Dragoons were highly commended for their part in the advance on the Hindenburg Line at Cambrai. Their reputation grew with their domination of no-man’s land at Le Verguier where they fought extensively and conducted dark missions and trench raids on German positions under the cover of night.
Horses eventually gave way to armour and the unit fought in France and Flanders until the end of WWII then served with distinction in missions in Somalia, the Balkans, and Afghanistan in tanks and reconnaissance vehicles. Same Dragoon spirit. New tools. A regimental motto unchanged since its adoption after their distinguished service in the Boer War.
“Audax et Celer,” Latin for “Bold and Swift”.
About the sire
Sired by Uncle Mo, Kentucky-bred sire Nyquist is an Eclipse Award winning champion 2-year-old colt who won the $2 million 2015 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, the $2 million 2016 Kentucky Derby, and the $1 million Florida Derby. He also came third in the Preakness. He retired to stud with a record of 8-0-1 in 11 starts with more than $5 million in purse earnings.
Nyquist has sired six crops of racing age, 511 starters, 38 black-type winners, and 335 winners that have earned more than $55 million. His top-earning progeny is 2025 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Nysos who was bought by Donato in 2023. Nysos’ second place finish in the 2026 Saudi Cup upped his earnings to more than $4.7 million. In 2024, Donato bought Nyquist-sired Grade 1 winner Tenma who earned $636,000 going 5-0-2 in her eight starts before being sold in 2025 for $3.2 million.
Other Nyquist progeny include Champion 2YO filly and Breeders’ Cup winner Immersive ($1,864,900) and G1 champions Randomized ($1,764,050), Slow Down Andy ($1,276,600) and Vequist ($1,237,500).
Ten horses sired by Nyquist became Grade 1 winners in 2025 – only Into Mischief has more – and three became graded stakes in January and February of 2026, including Kentucky Derby hopeful Iron Honor and G3 Gulfstream Park Mile winner Knightsbridge (112 Beyer figure).About the dam
Kentucky-bred mare Hidden Wonder (1-2-0 in 4 starts) was sired by the great Curlin out of Carella by Tapit. She was purchased for $150,000 at the Keeneland January 2023 Horses of All Ages Sale.
About the dam
Dragoon’s dam, Dark Mission, was bought as a broodmare in 2021 for $225,000 after she raced five times and went 1-1-1. She was sired by Kentucky-bred Medaglia d’Oro, a multiple G1 winner who earned more than $5.75 million on the track going 8-7-0 in 17 starts.
Dark Mission is out of Misty Mission who retired after three starts with a record of 2-1-0. One of those wins was in the $250,000 Wonderwhere Stakes at Woodbine.
