Bob Baffert Claps Back at Haters of Nysos Despite Disappointing Horse Racing Season

Bob Baffert’s 2025 season has been full of ups and downs, and critics haven’t been shy about pointing them out. But this Saturday at Del Mar, he’s ready to turn heads. All eyes are on his 4-year-old colt, Nysos, making his first-ever run at 10 furlongs in the $1-million G1 Pacific Classic. It’s a big test, but Baffert believes Nysos has what it takes to silence the doubters as some critics have expressed skepticism about Nysos’ ability to handle the 10-furlong distance in the Pacific Classic.

Recently, Baffert spoke out when asked about Nysos’ progress since his last big win. TwinSpires shared the clip on X, where the interviewer asked: “And we’ve got one of the biggest races of the summer this Saturday. You’ve got the morning-line favourite, Nysos. What’s he been showing you since the Santa Anita San Diego?” Well, Nysos’ victory in the San Diego Handicap was no small feat. Ridden by Flavien Prat, he pulled away from the field to win by 2¾ lengths over 1⅛ miles, clocking 1:42.61. That win was his fourth graded stakes triumph, bringing career earnings to $598,500 from five wins in six starts.

Bob Baffert didn’t hold back: “Well, I mean, Nysos, he’s always, you know, shown signs of brilliance. We know he’s very fast, and I love the way he came back. On Derby Day, he almost won that race off a long, long layoff like that. He was asking a lot, but we took a crack at it and he just came up a little short. Got beat by Mind Frame, who was, you know, one of the top horses in the country. Then came back to Santa Anita, won the San Diego, stressed him out never been past a mile in the 16th.” But now comes the real test: the Pacific Classic at 10 furlongs, a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Classic. While this is a new distance for Nysos, Baffert’s confidence hasn’t wavered.

“You know, we’re going to just keep, you know, stretching him out here,” Bob Baffert said about the upcoming race. “I mean, the Pacific Classic was probably, if it was a mountain eighth, we’d feel a little bit better about it. But I think at a mile and a quarter, we’re going to find out if he can handle that. Then he can run a bigger class. If he can’t, there’s a mile or a sprint. You know, he could do either; he could probably do any of the three. But I think he’s just… you know, he’s a brilliant racehorse, and he’s got a great mind. He’s not one-dimensional. He’s in the platinum; you can sit and go, and I like that about him.” After a rough season, Baffert seems ready to remind everyone exactly why his horses deserve the spotlight.

Bumps, battles, and big comebacks for Bob Baffert in 2025

Bob Baffert’s 2025 season has been a rollercoaster. His horse, Citizen Bull, was expected to shine in the Kentucky Derby, but finished fourth in the Santa Anita Derby. Then Rodriguez had to be scratched from the Derby because of a foot injury, which also kept him out of the Preakness. To regroup, Baffert skipped the Grade 1 Travers Stakes with Goal Oriented and focused on the $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial, entering a trio of horses, including the undefeated Midland Money.

Off the track, it hasn’t been any easier. This year marked Baffert’s first Kentucky Derby back at Churchill Downs since his three-year suspension over the Medina Spirit controversy. Despite the challenges, he’s put up 66 wins from 202 starts and earned $7.73 million so far in 2025. Horse racing is unpredictable, and even legends face bumps along the way, but Baffert is showing he’s still very much in the game.

Bob Baffert is aware of the competition in the upcoming Pacific Classic and admits there’s some tension: “And there are some good horses in there. You know, Fierceness, on his best day, he can beat us all. You’ve got Journalism, who ran unbelievably…I mean, he’s made every dance, every dance…So, you know, the trip’s going to be very important, but it’s going to be exciting. It’s a tough, great one.” Setbacks? Sure. But letting them define him? Not a chance.