Opening day at Santa Anita might need been delayed by two days due to heavy rain, nevertheless it was well worth the anticipate no different cause than to look at the stretch run of the $200,000 Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes.
And for coach Bob Baffert, it was even higher than that. Not solely did Nysos and Nevada Seaside run 1-2 for him Sunday within the thrilling Grade 2 Pincay, however he additionally captured the 2 Grade 1 races he entered, the La Brea with Usha and the Malibu with Objective Oriented.
It was the fourth time Baffert received three stakes on the identical day at Santa Anita, together with the identical trio of races on opening day in 2022.
He was particularly excited after the Pincay, and never simply by what he noticed on the observe.
“You already know what’s nice?” Baffert mentioned as he stood within the winner’s circle and motioned to the grandstand, which was crowded with an introduced 41,962 followers, the most important opening day viewers since 2016. “It’s nice to see this place packed. Look, all people got here out. They’ll come out to see an excellent horse and all people was on the apron for this one. And so they noticed an ideal horse race.
“It was really enjoyable watching.”
Significantly for Baffert, who knew as the sector changed into the stretch he couldn’t lose. Nysos, the Breeders’ Cup Dust Mile champion ridden by Flavien Prat, was on the within of Nevada Seaside, the Goodwood Stakes winner ridden by Juan Hernandez.
Nysos was the heavy 1-5 favourite, having misplaced solely certainly one of his seven lifetime races, however for not less than a second it seemed as if he may not get previous Nevada Seaside, at 3 a 12 months youthful than his stablemate.
However, in a digital rerun of the Dust Mile, when Prat and Nysos edged previous Hernandez and one other Baffert 3-year-old, Citizen Bull, the older horse as soon as once more prevailed, once more by a head.
“I used to be shut,” Hernandez mentioned. “My horse ran actually good. I used to be in entrance on the stretch for a few jumps after which it was simply backwards and forwards between Nysos and my horse. … He was giving me every little thing he had.”
The Grade 2 Pincay (previously the San Antonio) was certainly one of six stakes races on opening day, which is historically held the day after Christmas. It wasn’t one of many three Grade 1 races, however the presence of Nysos made it really feel just like the day’s predominant occasion.
Nysos returned $2.40 after working 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.36, the quickest because the Pincay was moved to that distance in 2017.
Baffert mentioned within the leadup to the race that Nysos seemingly would begin subsequent within the $20-million Saudi Cup on Feb. 14 in Riyadh, whereas Nevada Seaside was extra apt to go to the $3-million Pegasus World Cup subsequent month at Gulfstream Park. After the Pincay, he didn’t rule out sending each to Saudi Arabia.
The one draw back to Baffert’s stakes day was having to scratch Barnes and Cornucopian, the 2 morning-line favorites, from the Malibu. Barnes suffered a “minor setback” Saturday whereas Cornucopian had an incident within the paddock minutes earlier than the race, which pressured his withdrawal (he was unhurt).
Regardless of, although; Objective Oriented ($4.20) took over favoritism and earned his first stakes win, defeating stablemate Midland Cash by a size in 1:20.97, the quickest Malibu since 2016.
“I’m simply glad it turned out that we received it as a result of it was so upsetting for a little bit bit,” Baffert mentioned.
Usha ($13.20) was beginning in a Grade 1 race for the primary time, however she received the La Brea like a filly who has extra victories in her future. She completed seven furlongs in a fast 1:21.68 to beat 2-1 favourite System Rossa by 5¼ lengths.
The primary of the six stakes races was the $200,000 Mathis Mile for 3-year-olds on the turf. Tempus Volat, skilled by Leonard Powell, led the race however was handed within the remaining yard by Hiding in Honduras ($21.40), a 9-1 lengthy shot ridden by Antonio Fresu for Jonathan Thomas. Namaron, the 1-2 favourite ridden by Prat, completed third.
There was no such drama within the second turf stakes, the $100,000 San Gabriel, by which Cabo Spirit ($14.80), skilled by George Papaprodromou, took the lead shortly after the beginning below Mike Smith and rolled to a 1¼-length victory over Astronomer. Keep Scorching, the 2-1 favourite, misplaced a photograph for third to Mondego.
The ultimate race of the day was the opposite Grade 1 occasion, the $300,000 American Oaks, received by one other Thomas trainee, Ambaya, a 12-1 lengthy shot. The daughter of Ghostzapper was ridden by Kazushi Kimura, who picked up the mount when Fresu injured his ankle earlier within the day.
And so forth.
The 2 playing cards that have been rained out over the weekend can be made up Monday and Wednesday, with free parking and admission. Each days will supply two stakes races; Monday’s spotlight is the $200,000 Joe Hernandez, which incorporates Motorious and Sumter, who have been 1-2 within the race final 12 months, and Creativeness, final month’s Breeders’ Cup Dash runner-up who can be racing on turf for the primary time.
Rain is forecast starting Wednesday, with observe officers saying they are going to monitor the state of affairs earlier than deciding on the way it will have an effect on the racing, if in any respect. The schedule requires racing Thursday by Sunday earlier than Santa Anita begins its regular schedule of Fridays by Sundays on Jan. 9.
