Nysos took the following step on his journey to the highest of the 3-year-old ranks with a powerful rating within the Feb. 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita Park. The undefeated Bob Baffert-trained colt is making a behavior of successful by large margins, including 7 ½ lengths within the Lewis to his two 2023 efforts: a ten ½-length maiden win and eight ¾-length Bob Hope Stakes win.

Whereas Nysos, owned by the Baoma Company of Charles and Susan Chu, was making his first try at two turns, his victory stunned nobody. Bettors despatched him off at 1-10 odds in opposition to six rivals after Stronghold and Coach Prime had been scratched.

Nonetheless, Nysos needed to present up, and did he ever, proving to everybody that he has an abundance of expertise.

Scatify, educated by John Sadler and breaking from the skin put up, zoomed to the entrance within the one-mile Lewis, together with Baffert’s different entry, Wine Me Up. Scatify accomplished the primary quarter-mile in :22.81, a half-length forward of Wine Me Up.

Jockey Flavien Prat was in no hurry aboard Nysos, who raced simply in fourth.

“I wasn’t actually frightened,” Baffert stated. “(Nysos) has acquired a terrific thoughts. I used to be watching what was occurring up entrance as a result of Wine Me Up was coaching very well for this. I had a sense that Sadler’s horse was going to point out loads of pace.”

Scatify continued to set the fractions, racing a size forward of Wine Me Up whereas setting the half-mile fraction of :46.67.

“The tempo was fairly scorching, so it was good,” Prat stated. “I gave him an opportunity and he took the filth very effectively.”

Baffert defined that Nysos has demonstrated in his morning coaching that “he’s acquired a number of gears.” The colt has proven versatility as effectively. He received his first race by main all through, whereas he raced in third early within the Bob Hope.

When Prat requested Nysos to go within the second flip, the response was electrical. Nysos rapidly caught Wine Me Up and Scatify deep within the second flip, and from there the one query was the margin of victory. Nysos floated to the wire, with Prat capable of wrap up on him, and stopped the timer in 1:36.65. The Lewis this 12 months had been shortened to a mile, having beforehand been run at 1 1/16 miles.

Wine Me Up completed three-quarters of a size in entrance of Scatify for second. The Lewis provided Kentucky Derby Offered by Woodford Reserve factors on a 20-10-6-4-2 scale to eligible horses, although Baffert trainees are ineligible to earn factors for the Derby or race in it. Churchill Downs has continued its suspension of Baffert, stemming from Medina Spirit’s optimistic for betamethasone after the colt completed first within the 2021 Kentucky Derby and was in the end disqualified. Thus, the factors earned within the Lewis had been six to Scatify, 4 to fourth-place Mc Vay, and two to fifth-place Moonlit Sonata.

Nysos improved to 3-for-3 in his profession with earnings of $216,600. Baffert has now received the Robert B. Lewis six consecutive occasions and a report 12^th general.