But Moonlight Cloud scythed him down entering the final furlong before clearing away by just under two lengths, with the admirable Gordon Lord Byron finishing strongly for a place.
Rascal In The Mix was slowly away and settled at the back of the field, before making some progress in the straight to finish fifth, beaten just under two lengths for third place.
Fellow trainer Jessica Harrington embraced him after her gallant mare Magic Of Light defied odds of 66-1 to finish second under Paddy Kennedy, beaten by just under three lengths.
Sent off the 4-1 favonrite on Saturday, the horse, ridden by Davy Russell and trained by Gordon Elliott, was the shortest-priced winner since Poethlyn 100 years ago, seeing off runner-up Magic Of Light by just under three lengths despite carrying 6lb more in weight than last year.
Cambridge "slowly but surely" took control with a lead of just under three lengths within three minutes of the start.
They go 13/8 that the race is won by under three lengths; 6/4 between three lengths and eight lengths; and 9/4 over eight lengths.
Nyquist has won his seven races, including four prestigious Grade 1s, by a combined 15 lengths – an average of just over two lengths.
In service only since July 9, and just under six miles in length, the extension has already had an impact on commuting patterns of a few people who make the two-hour-plus trip to Manhattan several times a week.
The summation of Assistant District Attorney Charles A. Testagrossa, at just under three hours in length, was brisk and at times nearly irate as he accused the three detectives on trial of lying to cover up an unjustified shooting of unarmed men as trapped and exposed as "a big barrel of fish".
Squash was probably just under four minutes and seemed the perfect length.
It took him just under four months.
