The opening day at Santa Anita was delayed by two days due to heavy rain, but the wait proved worthwhile, especially to witness the exciting finish of the $200,000 Lafitte Pinkay Junior Stakes. Trainer Bob Baffert had a remarkable day, with his horses Nysos and Nevada Beach finishing first and second in the thrilling Grade 2 Pincay race. Additionally, Baffert secured victories in two Grade 1 races: La Brea with Usha and Malibu with Goal Oriented.
This marked the fourth occasion that Baffert won three stakes races at Santa Anita on the same day, repeating the feat from the previous year’s opening day. Baffert expressed his excitement not just about the wins, but also about the large crowd of 41,962 fans, the biggest opening day attendance since 2016, who came to see excellent horse racing.
In the Pincay race, Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile champion Nysos, ridden by Flavien Prat, narrowly defeated the younger Goodwood Stakes winner Nevada Beach, ridden by Juan Hernandez. Despite Nevada Beach’s strong effort, Nysos won by a head, replicating a previous close contest between the two.
The Grade 2 Pinkay Stakes, while not a Grade 1 event, felt like the day’s highlight thanks to Nysos’s presence. Nysos completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.36, the fastest time since the race adopted that distance in 2017. Baffert plans to enter Nysos in the $20 million Saudi Cup in Riyadh and Nevada Beach in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup next month, with a possibility of sending both to Saudi Arabia.
Despite minor setbacks to two Malibu Stakes favorites, Burns and Cornucopian, Goal Oriented won impressively, claiming his first stakes victory in a fast time of 1:20.97. Usha also marked her first Grade 1 win, taking the La Brea race convincingly.
Other stakes races on the card included the $200,000 Matisse Mile turf race won by long shot Hiding in Honduras, and the $100,000 San Gabriel turf race won by Cabo Spirit. The day concluded with the Grade 1 American Oaks, won by Ambaya under jockey Kazushi Kimura.
Due to the earlier rain delays, two more race days were rescheduled for Monday and Wednesday with free parking and admission. Monday’s highlight is the $200,000 Joe Hernandez race, featuring strong contenders including last year’s top finishers and Breeders’ Cup Sprint runner-up Imagination racing on turf for the first time. Rain is anticipated starting Wednesday, and officials will monitor conditions before making further decisions.
Fan Take: This thrilling opening day at Santa Anita demonstrates the resilience and excitement of horse racing, drawing in record crowds and showcasing top-level competition. With Baffert’s dominance and promising stars like Nysos and Nevada Beach, fans have much to look forward to, signaling a vibrant future for the sport.
