Nysos Outgames Stablemate Nevada Beach in Pincay

Statistically speaking, the Dec. 28 Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes (G2) as a grade 2 will be considered less than the three grade 1 races slated for later on Santa Anita Park's opening-day card. But it will take a supreme performance in one of those to outshine what Nysos and Nevada Beach did in their epic stretch battle. As the two Bob Baffert trainees pounded down the stretch in front of the opening-day crowd, they put on a show well worth the price of admission. Nevada Beach, racing outside of Nysos on the rail, looked like he could hold off his stablemate. But Baffert says that Nysos knows where the finish line is, and the colt proved it as he timed his surge forward perfectly. The head margin demonstrated the talent and tenacity of both individuals. Nevada Beach gained plenty of street cred with his gameness, while Nysos proved himself the essence of a racehorse. Nysos doesn't run often, but he shows up every time. With the Pincay, the 4-year-old brought his record to seven wins and one second in eight starts, which includes victories in the Nov. 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) and four other stakes. "At least everybody got a good scream out of it," Baffert said. "It's great to see this place packed. Everybody came out and was on the apron for this one. They saw a great horse race. Nysos is such a cool cat. He's got a great mind." Nysos broke just a step slowly—jockey Flavien Prat called it "flat-footed"—but he settled in quickly next to Nevada Beach. The two Baffert runners let Vodka Vodka and Bartholdy set the pace early in the 1 1/16 miles, almost as if they knew that it would only count in the stretch. Nysos raced on the rail behind the leader. Both he and Nevada Beach had to swing wide to circle the leaders. From there, they launched their battle. Though just a head separated them at the wire, it was 4 1/4 lengths back to Bartholdy in third. Susan and Charlie Chu of the Baoma Corp. bought Nysos for $550,000 at the 2023 Ocala Breeders' Sales Company spring sale of 2-year-olds. He has raced for Baoma solely until the Pincay, when Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith, and Michael Tabor of Coolmore were listed as lessees in addition to Baoma. Susie Atkins bred Nysos in Kentucky from the Bernardini mare Zetta Z, who has also produced stakes-placed Attabe. Nysos is by champion Nyquist, who will stand for a 2026 stud fee of $175,000 at Darley near Lexington. Hiding in Honduras Gets Up Late to Win Mathis Mile One race before the Pincay, 3-year-old turf runners met in the Mathis Mile (G2T), with Hiding in Honduras coming on late for jockey Antonio Fresu to defeat Tempus Volat by a head in 1:35.13. Favored Namaron (GER) finished third. Jonathan Thomas trains Hiding in Honduras for owner Robert LaPenta. A gelded son of Dialed In—La Moneda, by Freud, Hiding in Honduras was making only his third start, after winning his debut by 7 3/4 lengths and running fourth in the Oct. 30 Let It Ride Stakes. "He's just taken a while," Thomas said. "We actually bought him as a weanling, and he's just had a couple of different minor hiccups. He got loose in the last race, so to see him put it together is huge." Fortune would quickly change for Fresu, who, one race later, was aboard favored Anmer Hall when he was bumped into the rail around the last turn. Fresu pulled up his mount following the incident and was transported to Huntington Hospital for a potential injury to his left foot. FanDuel TV's Christina Blacker reported that Anmer Hall was uninjured. Smith Guides Cabo Spirit Gate to Wire in San Gabriel The opening day crowd was also treated to a vintage ride from Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith as he guided Cabo Spirit to victory in the $100,000 San Gabriel Stakes (G3T). Trainer George Papaprodromou told Smith before the race that he didn't care if anyone tried to run with Kretz Racing's 6-year-old Pioneerof the Nile gelding in the early stages, wanting him on the lead no matter what. That ended up not being much of a problem as Smith gained a clear lead, with Cabo Spirit traveling well through fractions of :23.18, :47.14, and 1:11.21. Appearing he might be in danger turning for home with the threat of Astronomer to his outside, Cabo Spirit never relented and hit the wire 1 1/4 lengths in front, completing 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.34 and paying $14.80. Mondego (GB) was third. Smith said the now five-time graded stakes winner, who was bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, seemed to appreciate some cut in the ground after the turf course received enough rain during the week to delay the opening day card from Dec. 26 to Sunday. "He really seemed to go for it," Smith told FanDuel TV's Caleb Keller. "He liked it the whole time around there. I just got a positive feeling with him. Every time I asked him to pick it up, even through the lane, he kept picking it up."