Nysos Faces Tough Task in Churchill Downs Stakes Return

The undefeated Nysos, a colt dubbed as trainer Bob Baffert's next big star after his scintillating three-race win streak, returns to action for the first time in 15 months in the $1 million Churchill Downs Stakes (G1) May 3 at Churchill Downs. Owned by Baoma, Nysos won his three starts by a combined 26 3/4 lengths as a 2- and 3-year-old in 2023-24. The $550,000 son of Nyquist was ranked as one of the top 3-year-olds of last year before being sidelined by injury. He has been working steadily throughout the winter at Santa Anita Park, and it's unlikely Baffert would ship him halfway across the country unless the colt was primed for a big effort. Nysos' stablemate Fort Bragg got Kentucky Derby (G1) weekend kicked off for the Baffert barn with a win in the St. Matthews Overnight Stakes on the May 1 card. A winner from six furlongs to a mile, the seven-furlong distance of the Churchill Downs should suit the speedy Nysos, especially entering off such a lengthy layoff. Flavien Prat, the regular rider last year of the opposing Mullikin, takes off the grade 1 winner to jump back aboard Nysos in Saturday's race. Nysos is the 4-1 third choice in the field behind morning-line favorite Mindframe (3-1) and Mullikin (7-2). WinStar Farm's Mullikin, one of the top sprinters of 2024, launches his 5-year-old campaign in the Churchill Downs. The son of Violence rolled to four straight wins last year for trainer Rodolphe Brisset, highlighted by a dominating 5 3/4-length victory in the Forego Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course. It should be noted that Mullikin is a perfect 2-for-2 at Churchill Downs, winning both his starts at the Louisville, Ky., oval in convincing fashion. Luis Saez picks up the mount. The Churchill also lures in Mindframe, another highly touted 3-year-old of 2024. Trained by Todd Pletcher for Repole Stable and St. Elias Stables, Mindframe makes his second start off the bench following a workmanlike score in the March 1 Gulfstream Park Mile Stakes (G2). Mindframe cuts back to seven furlongs for the first time since winning his debut last March at Gulfstream Park. The distance could be a challenge for the Constitution colt, who did his best running as a 3-year-old around two turns, placing twice at the grade 1 level in the Belmont (G1) and Haskell (G1) stakes. Among others not to be discounted in this ultra-competitive field of 11 is the gutsy New Jersey-bred grade 1 winner Book'em Danno, who blazed through seven furlongs in 1:20.03 in landing a Colonial Downs handicap in his season opener for trainer Derek Ryan, and the consistent Oaklawn Mile Stakes (G3) victor Banishing, another shortening up in trip Saturday. Banishing wheels back in two weeks from a runner-up effort in the 1 1/8-mile Oaklawn Handicap (G2).