By Alan Carasso
Given a masterful ride from two-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Flavien Prat, 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Nysos (h, 5, Nyquist–Zetta Z, by Bernardini) overcame a bit of a tricky trip, but pulled clear from a furlong and a half out to post an impressive victory in Saturday's GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap at Saratoga. Fellow 'Rising Star' Knightsbridge completed a noteworthy 1-2 finish for Darley America stallion Nyquist. The Met Mile is a Breeders' Cup Challenge race for the GI Dirt Mile at Keeneland Oct. 31.
Looking to make amends for an all-world runner-up effort to Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) in the G1 Saudi Cup 3 1/2 months ago, Nysos is co-owned by Susan and Charlie Chu's Baoma Corp., Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith and will enter stud at Coolmore in Kentucky at the end of his career.
Sent off at arguably overlaid odds of 7-5, Nysos was given a very aggressive ride by Flavien Prat from gate one in the Wilson Chute and did manage to secure the front as they cornered into the Saratoga backstretch, but he soon had plenty of company on the front end in the form of Antiquarian (Preservationist), who proved best in a messy renewal of the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup at this venue last summer, and fellow top-level scorer Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming). Knightsbridge also attended the early fractions from deepest out.
Instead of running the risk of being used too hard on the engine, Prat took a hold of Nysos and eased him back into fourth, allowing the other trio to go on with it entering the turn.
Knightsbridge swept in front with an eye-catching three-wide move with about three furlongs to race, but Prat had the move covered and Nysos was equally in for the fight. Pulled out wide to deliver his challenge, he descended upon Knightsbridge with a furlong and a half to travel and pulled clear to take it by a decisive four-length margin.
Journalism (Curlin), runner-up to Sovereignty in last year's GI Belmont Stakes, was off the pace for third while no threat to the winner. Journalism is bound for Coolmore upon conclusion of his career.
“It felt like down the backside, the pressure from the outside never really stopped,” Prat said. “I figured I had to give him a chance, knowing he was carrying 126 [pounds] and he hasn't run for months, and it just played out good. When I tipped him out, he gave me a great run.”
Trainer Bob Baffert was winning his third Met, having saddled Mor Spirit to the victory at Belmont in 2017 and National Treasure (Quality Road) in the first of the three runnings at Saratoga in 2024. He admitted to some anxious moments.
“When he took him back, I just thought, 'I hope he knows what he's doing; he's either riding a really smart race or he's not running,' then when I saw him swing him out, then I thought, they were smoking up there. I almost brought him up here last year but didn't do it,” Baffert said. “He's one of the smartest horses I've ever trained. He's really smart, quiet and cool. The second time I ran him, he was so quiet it worried me. When he walks into the gate, you could put a kid on his back. He's just so chill, that you don't know [how good he is]. When Prat rode him, he thought the same thing. The minute you turn him to see the gate, he just blows up.”
Baffert is willing to roll the dice going forward that Nysos can handle an extra couple of furlongs.
“We are going for the [Breeders' Cup] Classic with him,” the trainer confirmed. “I think I might take him to maybe Del Mar. [GI] Pacific Classic, maybe. He runs well there or maybe the [GI] Whitney [Stakes]. I want to space out his races.”
Pedigree Notes:
Having been named a 'TDN Rising Star' at first asking after crushing Santa Anita maidens by 10 1/2 lengths in October 2023, Nysos added big-margin victories in the GIII Bob Hope Stakes and the GIII Robert B. Lewis Stakes, and a couple of days after the latter success, his dam–offered in foal to Cyberknife– topped the Fasig-Tipton February Sale on a bid of $2 million from Coolmore. The foal she was carrying at the time, now named Epic Fury, was a $195,000 buyback at Fasig-Tipton October last fall and most recently sold for $240,000 at OBS this past April. She is currently in training at Turfway Park.
Nysos's second dam is a daughter of 2001 GI Breeders' Cup Distaff upsetter Unbridled Elaine, a half-sister to GISW Glitter Woman (Glitterman) and dam of three winners from five to race, including MGSW Etched (Forestry)–a sire in Korea–GSW Out of Bounds (Discreet Cat) and English Group 2 scorer Emotionless (Ire) (Shamardal). Unbridled Elaine's unraced daughter Elaine's Cat (Discreet Cat) is the dam of recent GII Belle Mahone Stakes winner Deloraine (Candy Ride {Arg}) and GSP Remuda (More Than Ready).
Zetta Z is also responsible for Warnock (Yaupon), a $450,000 Keeneland November weanling who was eighth on turf sprint debut at Churchill June 5 for owner Tom Durant and trainer Tristan Ashford. She produced a colt by Justify this past Mar. 6.
Last year's Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner NYSOS wins the Grade 1 @HillnDaleFarm Metropolitan Handicap under Flavien Prat for trainer @BobBaffert. pic.twitter.com/s88skLfI6M
— NYRA (🗽) (@TheNYRA) June 6, 2026
Saturday, Saratoga
HILL 'N' DALE METROPOLITAN H.-GI, $1,000,000, Saratoga, 6-6, 3yo/up, 1m, 1:34.85, ft.
1–NYSOS, 126, h, 5, by Nyquist
1st Dam: Zetta Z, by Bernardini
2nd Dam: Seresa's Spirit, by Rahy
3rd Dam: Unbridled Elaine, by Unbridled's Song
($130,000 Wlg '21 KEENOV; $150,000 Ylg '22 FTKOCT; $550,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR). 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard'. O-Baoma Corp, Magnier, Mrs. John, Tabor, Michael B. and Smith, Derrick; B-Atkins Susie (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Flavien Prat. $550,000. Lifetime Record: 10-8-2-0, $5,288,500. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Knightsbridge, 121, h, 5, Nyquist–Tyburn Brook, by Bernardini. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard'. O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-William I. Mott. $200,000.
3–Journalism, 125, c, 4, Curlin–Mopotism, by Uncle Mo.
($825,000 Ylg '23 FTSAUG). O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Bridlewood Farm, Don Alberto Stable, LaPenta, Robert V., Elayne Stables Five, Magnier, Mrs. John, Tabor, Michael B. and Smith, Derrick; B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY); T-Michael W. McCarthy. $120,000.
Margins: 4, 3/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 1.47, 5.31, 2.03.
Also Ran: Antiquarian, Saudi Crown, Rated by Merit, Vibe.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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