ARCADIA — The big crowd on opening day at Santa Anita pleased Bob Baffert, and the trainer returned the favor when two of his stars waged a thrilling stretch battle before Nysos edged past Nevada Beach to win the Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes.
“Everybody got a good scream out of it, right?” Baffert said in the winner’s circle.
Most bettors were happy to see Nysos and jockey Flavien Prat prevail – by a head – in the $200,000, Grade II Pincay and pay $2.40 as the heaviest favorite in any of the six graded stakes races Sunday.
Nysos, the most accomplished best horse running on the rain-delayed season-opening card, was the first of Baffert’s three stakes winners. Goal Oriented and jockey Joel Rosario won the Grade I Malibu Stakes for 3-year-olds, nominally the feature race of the afternoon. Usha and Juan Hernandez won the Grade I La Brea Stakes for 3-year-old fillies by 5-1/4 lengths in a mild upset.
Nysos capped his 4-year-old season with his fourth win in five starts in 2025, the most important victory coming in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar and the only defeat coming by a neck to Mindframe at Churchill Downs in Nysos’ first start in 15 months. The son of Nyquist’s earnings for the year rose to $1,021,900 for owners Charles and Susan Chu (Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith are listed as lessees).
But 3-year-old Nevada Beach and jockey Juan Hernandez tested Nysos all the way down the stretch in a race clocked in 1:42.36. That’s the fastest of the nine runnings of the Pincay Stakes (formerly the San Antonio) at 1-1/8 miles, though it must be said that the track was unusually fast. They finished 4-1/4 lengths in front of third-place Bartholdy.
The Baffert pair’s performances increased the chances that Nysos and Nevada Beach both will run in the $20 million Saudi Cup in Riyadh on Feb. 14 instead of one or both going to the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park in Florida on Jan. 24.
“It really could, the way they ran,” the trainer said, saying he’s “glad that Nevada Beach is back” with two wins since a “sort of disastrous” seventh-place finish behind Forever Young in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
The crowd was 41,962 for the opening of Santa Anita’s winter-spring racing season, which was pushed back for two days by last week’s rain. It was the biggest crowd for opening day since 2016 and the biggest on a Sunday since 1999. A track executive had said he hoped for 35,000 to 40,000.
As he left the winner’s circle after Nysos’ victory, Baffert accommodated fans seeking autographs and selfies.
“It’s great to see this place packed, you know what I mean?” Baffert said. “Everybody was on the (track) apron for this one. They saw a great horse race.”
UPSET DOUBLE FOR THOMAS
On most other days, Jonathan Thomas would have been the hottest trainer.
Thomas won the $200,000, Grade II Mathis Mile for 3-year-olds on turf when Hiding in Honduras ($21.40) and Antonio Fresu caught Tempus Volat at the wire, and finished the afternoon by winning the $300,000, Grade I American Oaks for 3-year-old fillies on grass with Ambaya ($27.40) and Kazushi Kimura passing favored Cliffs late.
“I’m feeling great,” Thomas said after the two victories, which came for, respectively, Robert LaPenta and George Strawbridge, both supportive owners.
FRESU INJURED
Fresu was taken to Huntington Hospital in Pasadena for evaluation of a reported ankle or foot injury after having to pull up his mount, favorite Anmer Hall, in the seventh race.
He had won his first two races of the Santa Anita meet, the second with Hiding in Honduras. Fresu was replaced by Kimura for the American Oaks.
NO CATCHING ‘CABO’
Cabo Spirit went back to his front-running style, got a clear lead with jockey Mike Smith and went on to win the $100,000, Grade III San Gabriel Stakes on turf and pay $14.80.
It was the sixth stakes victory for the 6-year-old gelding, best known for a gate-to-wire win in the Grade II John Henry Turf Cup at Santa Anita in 2024.
“We tried something different last time out, sitting right off the leader, and that didn’t work out,” trainer George Papaprodromou said. “Today I just told Mike, ‘Just get him out there (the gate). He likes it out there and gets comfortable.’“
DAY 2
Monday’s Grade II Joe Hernandez Stakes looks like a battle between 3-1 morning-line favorite Motorious (with Fresu named to ride), the 2024 winner of this hillside turf sprint, and 7-2 Imagination (Juan Hernandez), the Breeders’ Cup Sprint runner-up making his grass-course debut.
After a day off Tuesday, Santa Anita is set to race Wednesday through Sunday, but rain is forecast later in the week.
Related Articles
Bob Baffert’s Goal Oriented scratches out win in Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita Ducks trending wrong way after hot start Rams at Atlanta Falcons: Who has the edge? Lauren Betts’ double-double leads UCLA women to win over Ohio State Kings look to carry momentum from win over Ducks into showdown at ColoradoHence then, the article about nysos outduels nevada beach to start bob baffert s 3 win day at santa anita was published today ( ) and is available on Los Angeles Daily News ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Nysos outduels Nevada Beach to start Bob Baffert’s 3-win day at Santa Anita )
Also on site :