Bob Baffert Looks Hesitant as $1 Million Race Becomes Challenge for Nysos

Every great racehorse eventually meets the question that separates speed from legend: Can he carry his speed to the full mile and a quarter? For Nysos, that moment comes this weekend in the $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert knows the weight of that challenge better than most. He has saddled winners and seen contenders falter over these demanding 10 furlongs, but with Nysos, the anticipation feels sharper, tinged with both excitement and hesitation.

As FanDuel Racing shared a video on X where Bob Baffert was pressed about the challenge of 10 furlongs, his tone revealed both pride and pause. “I wasn’t in a hurry to get him there. We didn’t have a choice down here; mile 8 would’ve been perfect,” he admitted. “He’s a brilliant racehorse. He’s done everything well, and we know he can really run. But it’s a tough race, but you don’t know until you send him a mile and a quarter.” In those words lies the heart of the uncertainty: ability is proven, stamina is not.

Nysos has dazzled in shorter races, compiling a career record of 6 starts with 5 wins and a runner-up finish. His earnings already stand at $598,500, backed by a sharp 117 Equibase Speed Figure that signals real ability. But the Pacific Classic is a different beast. First run in 1991, it has become the crown jewel of Del Mar’s summer meet, and this year it carries even greater weight as a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” qualifier.

To win here would not only validate Nysos’ talent, but it would also secure him a spot in November’s $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic. The question is whether Bob Baffert’s 4-year-old colt can handle the challenge of stretching out to a mile and a quarter for the very first time. You’d think that might rattle even a Hall of Fame trainer. But Baffert? Not so much.

Even so, Nysos comes in as a deserving morning-line favorite. His career opened with fireworks, notching dominant wins in the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes and the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes, before an injury sidelined him for over a year and cost him a chance at the 2024 Triple Crown.

Since returning as a four-year-old, he has made clear to everyone why the hype was real, finishing runner-up in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs Stakes, then rattling off back-to-back wins in the Grade 3 Triple Bend and the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap. Nysos has shown he can handle Del Mar and route distances, but the Pacific Classic is no soft spot. Because the rivals here are tough to beat.

The Pacific Classic puts Bob Baffert’s colt Nysos against the toughest challenge

Nysos may be the favorite going into the Pacific Classic, but this will be no easy test. He’s stepping into deeper waters against some of the toughest names in the sport.  Fierceness, last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile champion and this season’s Jim Dandy winner, has the kind of battle-tested resume Nysos lacks.

Journalism, the Preakness and Haskell victor, enters in peak form and has shown an ability to thrive against pressure. And then there’s Midnight Mammoth, whose crushing Del Mar victory earlier in his career showed the stamina and track affinity Nysos still has to prove.  But the depth doesn’t stop with the headliners.

Indispensable’s familiarity with Del Mar makes him a sleeper threat if the leaders falter late. Longshots like Lure Him In and Tarantino bring experience and toughness, the kind that can expose an untested closer or punish a colt that moves too soon. That’s the razor’s edge Nysos faces. Even Bob Baffert, usually steady when the spotlight is on, admitted to feeling both excitement and caution. “So far, everything looks good. You know, the anticipation is starting to build… We’re just hoping our horses show up, get the right trip, and see how they finish.”

For Nysos, the Pacific Classic is more than a race. It’s the test that will decide if he’s just a brilliant sprinter or a true Classic horse. Win here, and he carries Baffert’s hopes with authority into November’s $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.