Nysos brings 96 Beyer into Bob Hope Stakes

DEL MAR, Calif. – Given that only two juveniles this year have earned a higher figure than the 96 Beyer that Nysos earned in his smashing debut, the colt looks tough to beat Sunday when he stretches to seven furlongs in the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes at Del Mar.

Nysos won his debut by a double-digit margin, six furlongs in 1:08.97, to instantly emerge as one of the country’s top juvenile colts. His winning figure ranks behind only the 105 by Fierceness in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and the 103 by Prince of Monaco in the Grade 3 Best Pal Stakes.

Bob Baffert trains Nysos and two others dropping into the Bob Hope. Wine Me Up finished eighth in the BC Juvenile; Mission Beach finished fifth in the Grade 1 Hopeful. Baffert has won the Bob Hope 12 times – six at Del Mar, six as the Hollywood Prevue at Hollywood Park.

Phil D’Amato and Peter Miller aim to upset the Bob Hope with well-bred maiden winners. D’Amato trains Stronghold, a Ghostzapper colt produced by Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes winner Spectator. Miller trains Tejon Pass, a Justify colt produced by five-time graded winner Foxysox.

Nysos wore blinkers in his front-running debut, but took them off in his most recent work and is listed as blinkers-off Sunday. Flavien Prat rides Nysos, who drew post 5 in a five-runner field. The equipment change and outside post would give Prat an opportunity to ration the colt’s speed.

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One minor knock regarding Nysos and his 96 Beyer is that three runners Nysos defeated have run back and all three regressed by six to 13 points. Nysos could regress and still win the Bob Hope.

D’Amato-trained Stronghold has an upset chance based on his 78-Beyer maiden win in a one-turn mile at Churchill Downs.

“Seven-eighths should be right up his alley, and I think he’s a horse that should stretch down the road,” D’Amato said. “He’s got that kind of temperament and demeanor about him where he can rate, track, and pounce.”

Antonio Fresu worked Stronghold a bullet five furlongs last week at Del Mar in 59.20 seconds and rides him in the Bob Hope. Stronghold breaks from post 4.

Miller-trained Tejon Pass finished fourth in his debut, followed by a front-running 78-Beyer maiden win.

“We were not necessarily thinking he would win first time out,” Miller said. “He was a little green, broke bad, and kind of made a run.”

Second time out, Tejon Pass broke running and wired the field.

“We think he’ll be better the farther he goes,” Miller said. “It’s a good family, we have high hopes.”

Mike Smith rides Tejon Pass, who breaks from the rail.

Average field size for the nine Bob Hope editions at Del Mar is 5.5; Sunday would be the third straight year Baffert starts three.

Wine Me Up will remove the blinkers he wore in his first three starts, including a runner-up finish in the Grade 2 American Pharoah Stakes.

Wine Me Up and Mission Beach won maiden races at Del Mar in summer.

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