Breaking: Encino Dominates Prairie Bayou Stakes on Turfway’s Tapeta
In a gate-to-wire performance, Encino captured the $250,000 Prairie Bayou Stakes on the Tapeta surface at Turfway Park, breaking sharply and maintaining the lead around one turn. Theselect colt, trained by Brad Cox for Godolphin, asserted his dominance from the outset and stayed in front to the wire.
“he’s just a good horse,” said Michael Banahan of godolphin. “he’s won on all surfaces. He began his rising career up here when he broke his maiden, and he clearly enjoys Turfway’s surface.”
The progeny of Nyquist continued to impress, as Encino sits at 3-2-0 from five starts at Turfway Park. the colt is 7-2-1 from 13 lifetime appearances, with earnings now edging toward $802,000.
Encino completed the 1-mile test in 1:36.37 and paid $3.36 to win. He finished more than a length ahead of his nearest competitor, with Horsepower 1 1/2 lengths behind in second and Cameo Performance third.
Video: Prairie Bayou Stakes (BT)
| Race | Location | Surface | Purse | Distance | Winner | Winning Time | Margin | Trainer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prairie Bayou Stakes | Turfway Park | Tapeta | $250,000 | 1 mile | Encino | 1:36.37 | 1 1/2 lengths | Brad Cox | Gate-to-wire victory; Nyquist colt; first stakes win at Turfway in this meet |
Evergreen context: what this means beyond a single race
Encino’s win reinforces Nyquist’s appeal as a sire whose offspring frequently excel on varying surfaces, a trend that benefits both breeders and buyers tracking versatile dirt-to-turf prospects.Turfway Park’s Tapeta track has become a proving ground for runners who adapt quickly to synthetic footing, a factor that can influence a horse’s future value and placements in winter and early spring stakes.
Brad Cox’s presence atop the training ranks continues to shape late-year campaigns, as he leverages a deep stable to target graded and listed events across several tracks. Godolphin’s involvement adds international breadth to a Kentucky circuit that blends tradition with current-generation talent.
For fans following 2025 roadmaps, Encino serves as a case study in how speed, early positioning, and synthetic-surface proficiency can converge to deliver a meaningful stakes win. As the season unfolds,observers will watch whether this Nyquist colt can carry momentum into longer races or more testing tracks.
For additional background on Nyquist’s offspring and turf versatility, see: Nyquist on BloodHorse,and Turfway Park’s official site for track details and upcoming events: Turfway Park.
Primary keyword: Prairie Bayou Stakes
Reader engagement
what impact do you think Encino’s Prairie Bayou Stakes victory will have on nyquist progeny in synthetic-track racing?
Will Turfway’s Tapeta continue to attract top competition and shape winter stakes calendars in the coming seasons?
Share your thoughts in the comments, and tell us which Nyquist offspring you’ll be watching next.
