Bob Hope (G3) winner Nysos, a romping winner in both career starts, will stretch to two turns in Saturday’s $200,000 Robert B. Lewis (G3) at Santa Anita. Nine three-year-olds are set for the mile test, one of four graded stakes on a 10-race program, and Nysos will be joined by stablemates Coach Prime and Wine Me Up in the starting gate.
The Lewis serves as a Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier, offering points on a 20-10-6-4-2 scale, but Coach Prime, Nysos, and Wine Me Up are ineligible to receive points, as trainer Bob Baffert is currently suspended from starting horses at Churchill Downs, including in the Kentucky Derby (G1).
Flavien Prat will guide Nysos, a son of Nyquist who has registered a 102 Brisnet Speed rating in both starts. Coach Prime will add the services of Frankie Dettori following a third as the favorite in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2). Grade 1 runner-up Wine Me Up, fourth most recently in the Los Alamitos Futurity, will have Juan Hernandez.
Los Alamitos Futurity runner-up Stronghold, second in the Bob Hope two back, will add blinkers for Phil d’Amato. Antonio Fresu retains the mount on the early presser. Scatify, a frontrunning debut winner at Los Alamitos in mid-December, will make his stakes debut for John Sadler. Hector Berrios rides the chestnut son of Justify.
In the $200,000 Santa Monica (G2), Princess Rooney (G3) winner Three Witches, a rallying third in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), will make her first start for Michael McCarthy in the seven-furlong event. The five-year-old mare recently sold for $1.7 million to new connections at the Keeneland November sale, and Prat takes over the reins.
Chillingworth (G3) heroine Kirstenbosch, fifth in the Filly & Mare Sprint after a rough start, is also among the six runners. Chismosa and Hot Peppers, first and second in the Las Flores (G3) on New Year’s Day, and recent Sunshine Filly & Mare Turf Sprint winner Rose Maddox add further depth.
Grade 2 winner Bellabel, last seen finishing second in the Del Mar Oaks (G1) and third in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) in 2022, will return to action in the $100,000 Megahertz (G3). The d’Amato trainee faces six distaffers in the mile turf affair.
San Marcos (G2) victor Prince Abama will cut back in trip for the $100,000 Thunder Road (G3), a mile turf race that features eight older horses.
