Nysos finds old brilliance as he begins quest for BC Classic berth
?q=100)
ARCADIA, Calif. - The brilliance Nysos showed by winning his first three starts in late 2023 and early 2024 was again on display when he won for the first time this year in Saturday’s Grade 3 Triple Bend Stakes at Santa Anita.
Last year, the hype surrounding Nysos focused on his chances in the 3-year-old division. The current gameplan is to get the colt to the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 1.
In the $98,000 Triple Bend Stakes at seven furlongs, Nysos was always near the front against three rivals and pulled clear through the stretch to win by 5 1/2 lengths over the Grade 2 stakes winner Dr. Venkman. Nysos was timed in 1:21.28 and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 108.
“He ran like he was supposed to run,” trainer Bob Baffert said in the winner’s circle.
“He did it the right way. He came back like it wasn’t taxing on him.”
Baffert said Nysos will be raced in coming months with the BC Classic at 1 1/4 miles as a goal.
“He’s a Classic horse. He can go all day,” Baffert said.
Nysos, who races for Charlie and Susan Chu’s Baoma Corp., won his first three starts by a combined 26 3/4 lengths, including by 7 1/2 lengths in the Grade 3 Robert Lewis Stakes at a mile at Santa Anita in February 2024. A month later, Nysos was the morning-line favorite in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita when he was scratched the day before the race. He did not race again in 2024.
Nysos had one workout last October and did not resume works until late January of this year.
“He needed some time, and he needed extra time,” Baffert said. “The thing is, Susan Chu has a lot of patience and loves her horses. She does the right thing and doesn’t put pressure on me.
“We’ve always known he’s a great horse. We’ve taken our time with him.”
In his comeback, Nysos finished a game second by a neck to Mindframe as the 8-5 favorite in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs Stakes at seven furlongs on May 3.
“When he got beat, I didn’t think he could lose that race,” Baffert said. “He had a rough trip. He was jumping puddles and had never run on an off track.”
Baffert did not state a short-term race goal for Nysos, who has earned $418,500. At the Del Mar summer meeting, there are two stakes options on dirt around two turns – the Grade 2, $300,000 San Diego Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on July 26, and the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at 1 1/4 miles on Aug. 30. The winner of the $1 million Pacific Classic receives a fees-paid berth to the BC Classic.
“We’ll give the Pacific Classic some good consideration,” Baffert said. “He could show up anywhere, back East.”
Dr. Venkman won the 2024 San Diego Handicap, and was fourth as the 11-10 favorite in the Pacific Classic last August, his final start last year. He made his comeback in the Triple Bend.
Trainer Mark Glatt said on Sunday that Dr. Venkman is a candidate for the Grade 3 Kelly’s Landing Stakes, a $250,000 race at 6 1/2 furlongs at Churchill Downs on June 28.
“I think we’ll get on the road with him,” Glatt said.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.