Opting for a confidence-builder over a trip to Saratoga for next weekend’s GI Metropolitan Handicap, Baoma Corp’s ‘TDN Rising Star’ Nysos (Nyquist) made light work of three rivals in Saturday’s GIII Triple Bend Stakes at Santa Anita, strolling home under little encouragement from Juan Hernandez to score as a mile the best.A smashing 10 1/2-length winner of his debut in October 2023 to become a no-brainer ‘Rising Star’, Nysos defeated future GI Santa Anita Derby winner Stronghold (Ghostzapper) in the GIII Bob Hope Stakes, cementing his status as a leading chance on the Triple Crown trail for 2024.
“Juan rode him beautifully, the horse broke really well and he kept him up there,” said winning trainer Bob Baffert. “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 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.”