Lovesick wins Crosby, but Nysos big winner in San Diego Handicap

DEL MAR – Longshot Lovesick Blues won the featured race Saturday, charging down the Del Mar stretch under Geovanni Franco to claim an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint with a victory in the Grade I Bing Crosby Stakes.

But the possible winners in the bigger picture were a talented 4-year-old named Nysos, jockey Flavien Prat and trainer Bob Baffert.

Prat rode the Baffert-trained Nysos, an overwhelming 1-9 favorite, to a 2¾-length victory in the Grade II San Diego Handicap — setting up a possible showdown with Journalism in the $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 30.

Plus, Baffert had a 1-2 finish in the San Diego Handicap with Mirahmadi following Nysos to the finish line while the Prat-Baffert tandem scored an earlier victory when 2-year-old Brant — a $3 million purchase earlier this year by Amr Zedan — won his first start by 5¼ lengths in a 5½-furlong sprint.

“Hopefully, the Pacific Classic is next for Nysos,” Baffert said after the son of Nyquist turned it on in traffic at the top of the stretch and rallied from fourth for an impressive win.

“He broke well and was comfortable down the inside,” Prat said of Nysos. “He was comfortable all the way around. I didn’t have any special instructions, just ride.”

“He was ready,” Baffert said of Nysos. “Prat just sat patiently behind there and had enough horse to cut the corner. Once he got that little seam, I knew it was over.

“I’m glad to win the San Diego. I haven’t had the best of luck in this race. I’ve had some great horses get beat here. It’s just a relief that Nysos won.”

Nysos did look to be in a pinch on the far turn while pinned behind two horses while on the rail. But Prat moved him into a seam outside of Mirahmadi and Nysos fired.

The two wins Saturday ended something of a slump for Prat, who flew in from Saratoga to ride Nysos and Brant. After winning his first three races at Saratoga, the 2024 Eclipse Jockey of the Year won only six of his next 67 races.

While Nysos paid $2.20 bto win the $300,000 San Diego Handicap, 18-1 longshot Lovesick Blues paid $39.20 for his 1¾-length win over Baffert’s Hejazi (Juan Hernandez) in the Crosby. Prat finished third aboard the favored World Record.

Lovesick Blues, a 7-year-old son of Grazen, was sixth in the field of nine midway through the six-furlong sprint for older horses. He was still third at the top of the stretch.

“I always have complete confidence in this horse,” said Franco of Lovesick Blues. “Turning for home, he was doing it just like a morning workout. I was just waiting for a time to go. By the time he hit the stretch, he was all out.”

Saturday was the first time Franco rode Lovesick Blues in a dirt race, resulting in a first Grade I win for owner-trainer Librado Barocio.

“I was going crazy,” said Barocio. “Man, what a miracle happened. When they turned for home and circling them, I knew he was running.”

Pushiness prevails

There was a third stakes at Del Mar with the Michael McCarthy-trained Pushiness ($6.60) winning by a nostril over Prat and Phil D’Amato’s Australian-bred Uncorked in the $100,000 Daisycutter – a five-furlong turf sprint for older fillies and mares. Longshot Visually was third and favored Imaboutago fourth in the 10-horse field.

A 4-year-old daughter of Kantharos, Pushiness won the Fleet Treat Stakes on this weekend a year ago.

“Usually at Del Mar, those photo finishes go to the horse on the outside,” said McCarthy.

Seeking three-peat

Gold Phoenix, named Del Mar’s top grass horse for each of the past two summer meetings, will lead a field of eight older horses into Sunday’s feature – the $250,000, Grade II Eddie Read at 1 1/8 miles on the turf.

The Irish-bred Gold Phoenix (Kyle Frey) won the Read in 2023 but ran seventh last year. However, the 7-year-old gelding has won the track’s top summer grass race for older horses – the Grade II Del Mar Handicap – three straight years.

The challengers include Formidable Man (Umberto Rispoli) and Atitlan (Hector Berrios).

Formidable Man is the slight morning-line favorite after winning three Del Mar stakes last summer – the opening-day Oceanside, the Grade II Del Mar Derby and the Grade I Hollywood Derby. “He thrives down here at Del Mar,” McCarthy said of Formidable Man.

Notable

For the second straight day, one jockey won both ends of the first daily double. Antonio Fresu scored with Broski ($3.40) in the opener and Captain Sparrow ($7.40) in the second race.

Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes champion Sovereignty ($3) rallied after losing position heading into the final turn to win the $500,000 Jim Dandy by a length over Del Mar-based Baeza at Saratoga Springs, N.Y.