Lord Nelson comes long way for Bay Shore

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Bob Baffert did not ship either of his top two Kentucky Derby prospects to New York for Saturday’s Grade 1 Wood Memorial, but he did send the 3-year-old Lord Nelson across the country for Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Bay Shore Stakes at seven furlongs.

Lord Nelson is 3 for 3 in one-turn races, including a neck victory over Texas Red, last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner, in the Grade 2 San Vicente. He is winless in a trio of two-turn stakes, most recently a fourth-place finish to the Baffert-trained Dortmund in the Grade 2 San Felipe.

“He doesn’t have the same kick going two turns as he does one turn. That’s why we decided to come to the Bay Shore,” Baffert said. “I think right now we’ll keep him one turn. I think he can go a mile and a sixteenth or a mile and an eighth going one turn.”

Lord Nelson, who will be ridden by Joel Rosario, drew the rail. Outside of him will be Papa Upa, Ready for Rye, Easy to Say, March, Final Chapter, Ackeret, and Majestic Affair.