Nysos likely headed to Saudi Cup; Nevada Beach possible to join him

ARCADIA, Calif. – The Nysos show is likely to go international in early 2026, and he may take a talented friend with him.

After a win in the Grade 2 Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes on Sunday at Santa Anita, trainer Bob Baffert said Nysos is on schedule for a start in the $20 million Saudi Cup at 1 1/8 miles on Feb. 14 in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Cup also is a possibility for Nevada Beach, the three-time stakes winner who challenged Nysos through the stretch of the Pincay before losing by a head.

“That was a good prep for both and for something bigger,” Baffert said.

Baffert also has the Grade 1, $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational at 1 1/8 miles on Jan. 24 at Gulfstream Park as an option. The race could be on the schedule of Goal Oriented, who won the most prestigious race of his career in Sunday’s Grade 1 Malibu Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs at Santa Anita.

While Goal Oriented won by a length as the 11-10 favorite over stablemate Midland Money, it was the thrilling running of the Pincay Stakes that was a leading highlight of the first day of the track’s winter-spring meeting.

Nysos and Nevada Beach closed with wide rallies to reach contention on the turn of the Pincay, run at 1 1/16 miles. After they swept past early leaders Bartholdy and Vodka Vodka, the pair ran as a team through the stretch. Nysos led by a head with a furlong remaining and could not shake clear of Nevada Beach.

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“Nevada Beach is a tough customer, and Nevada Beach usually gets it done,” Baffert said. “Nysos gets it done.

“They’re two nice horses and they showed up. That’s all you can ask for as a trainer.”

Nysos has won 7 of 8 starts, including six graded stakes ranging in distances from seven furlongs to 1 1/16 miles. On Nov. 1, Nysos won the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar by a head over the Baffert-trained Citizen Bull, the champion 2-year-old male of 2024. Citizen Bull has since been retired to stud.

Since the beginning of his career, Nysos has raced for Charles and Susan Chu’s Baoma Corp. The ownership team recently grew to include the Coolmore syndicate.

Goal Oriented and Nysos were two of Baffert’s three wins on Sunday’s opening day along with Usha in the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs.

Baffert swept the same three races in 2022 when the Pincay Stakes was known as the San Antonio Stakes.

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