Nysos back to winning ways in Triple Bend (G3)

Nysos collected his third career graded stakes win Saturday at Santa Anita Park with a dominating five-length win in the Triple Bend S. (G3).

Nysos is a record eighth Triple Bend winner for Bob Baffert, joining the likes of McKinzie and Lord Nelson.

Facing just three foes, Nysos and his competitors were within a length of each other down the backstretch. Going into the turn, Nysos took a narrow lead over Dr. Venkman as those two began to separate themselves from the field. Turning for home, Nysos began to widen his lead and was all alone in the final furlong to stop the timer in 1:21.28 for the seven furlongs on a fast track.

“Juan rode him beautifully, the horse broke really well, and he kept him up there,” Baffert said of the trip. “We are talking about a four-horse field, it is tough because you know you are going to be a big target there. He just inched him up there and he didn’t lose his spot and once he took the lead, you figured out the horse that he is. I am so proud to have a horse like this. He is so talented, I know the Met Mile (G1) would have been a great spot, but his last race, you know he needed it. Now from here we can build and pick our spots. Eventually on to the Breeders’ Cup. The way he handled it today, he didn’t take a deep breath.”

Nysos, 4, won the Bob Hope S. (G3) at two and took the Robert B. Lewis S. (G3) in his lone start at three. Owned by the Baoma Corp., the bay colt is now 4-1-0 in five starts and has earned $418,500.