In the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar on November 1, Nisos narrowly defeated Bob Baffert’s Citizen Bull, with Flavien Pratt aboard. On the following Sunday at Santa Anita, Nyquist and Pratt’s horses faced off against another of Baffert’s runners, Nevada Beach, with the tightest finish occurring in the Grade 2 $200,000 Lafitte Pinkay Junior Stakes.
This year marks the second time this long-standing race has been named after Hall of Fame jockey Laffite Pinkay Jr., who claimed victory five times when it was called the San Antonio Handicap. Pinkay retired with a then-world record of 9,530 wins, was the country’s highest-paid jockey six times, and earned the Eclipse Award for outstanding jockey five times. He dominated Santa Anita as champion jockey 14 times from 1970 to 2001 and was present to award the winner’s trophy.
The San Antonio Stakes, first run in 1935 during Santa Anita’s opening season, was won by Head Play, known for finishing second in the 1933 Kentucky Derby. Traditionally, it serves as a key prep race for the G1 Santa Anita Handicap, but this year’s winner used it as a stepping stone for the $20 million Saudi Cup in Riyadh, set for February 14. While Baffert set a record with his eighth San Antonio win, topping fellow Hall of Famer Richard Mandela, the Saudi Cup remains a major dirt race he has yet to win.
Nisos, a 4-year-old Kentucky colt by Nyquist out of Bernardini’s Zetta Z, completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.36 on a fast track and paid $2.40 as the clear favorite. Nevada Beach, winner of the G1 Goodwood at Santa Anita in late September, came in second, followed by Bartholdi, finishing 4 1/4 lengths behind among six mature horses, with pacesetter Vodka Vodka in fourth. Cornishman and Indispensable completed the field.
Bought by Baoma Corporation for $550,000 at the OBS April Sale for 2-year-olds in training, Nisos now races under partnerships with Baoma and Coolmore Stud’s John Magnier, Derrick Smith, and Michael Taber, listed as lessees on Equibase.
Vodka Vodka and jockey Kent Desormeaux set fractions of 24.00 seconds for the first quarter, 48.44 seconds for the half, and 1:12.26 through six furlongs. Pratt positioned Nisos third early on, while Nevada Beach and Juan Hernandez stayed just outside along the backstretch.
At the far turn, Bartholdi, ridden by Tyler Baze, overtook Vodka Vodka, but Nisos and Nevada Beach closed fast together, battling through the stretch. Nevada Beach showed mid-race energy, but the two Baffert-trained horses edged out the determined Bartholdi. Under left-handed urging from Pratt, Nisos secured the lead in the final strides to win.
This victory marked Nisos’ seventh win in eight starts; his only loss was a second-place finish on a rough Churchill Downs track in the G1 Churchill Downs Stakes behind Mind Frame on Kentucky Derby day. After a 15-month break, Nisos won the G3 Triple Bend Stakes in May and the G2 San Diego Handicap in July as a lead-up to the G1 Pacific Classic. Foot issues disrupted plans for the longer race, leading Baffert to enter Nisos in the mile instead of the classic distance due to limited practice before the Breeders’ Cup.
Flavien Pratt, Nisos’ jockey, said, “He got a little flat-footed, but then settled and ran well. I was worried the pace might be slow, but once he got going, he moved really well. Nevada Beach caught up, so it was a very game effort.” Juan Hernandez of Nevada Beach commented, “My horse ran really well. We were in front, then battled with Nisos. He can be lazy, but today he was different—he wanted to run.”
Baffert praised Pratt, noting, “Flavian knows this horse well. He wasn’t fast early, so we hoped for an opening. My other horse, Nevada Beach, was well placed. They turned home and kept going, really good friends or rivals perhaps—it shows how competitive they are.” He added, “Nisos knows where the finish line is. Flavien rode him smartly. We had two great rides from two good horses.” Reflecting on future races, Baffert said, “Let’s see how this race sets them up for a Saudi trip. The Breeders’ Cup was tough for both, but they showed toughness today.”
The event drew a full crowd, and Baffert appreciated the racing on display. He humorously noted instructing Pratt to ride Nisos as a long shot in the paddock due to a small field where Nisos got trapped early.
[Image: Lafitte Pinkay Jr. (fourth from left) presents the trophy to the Nisos team in the race named after him.]
This article originally appeared in Paulick Report on December 28, 2025.
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Fan Take: This thrilling duel between top Baffert-trained horses at a prestigious event not only highlights the intense rivalries shaping modern horse racing but underscores how legendary trainers and jockeys continue to push the sport’s boundaries. For fans, these close finishes and high-stakes big purses promise exciting future showdowns on international stages like the Saudi Cup, keeping horse racing vibrant and globally relevant.
