Nysos conquered his first attempt beyond eight furlongs with ease as he took command in the stretch and powered away to a two-and-three-quarter length victory over stablemate Mirahmadi to win the G2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar on July 26.
The four-year-old Nyquist colt improved his record to five wins in six starts. He is just a neck shy of being a perfect six-for-six, with his only defeat coming by just a neck to the talented Mindframe in the G1 Churchill Downs Stakes on Derby Day after a 15-month layoff.
Patiently ridden by jockey Flavien Prat, Nysos was content to let stablemate Mirahmadi go to the front to set the pace. He was tracked closely by Tarantino as Nysos raced in third, saving ground while racing along the inside rail.
Mirahmadi continued to lead heading into the far turn, as Nysos appeared to be full of run with no place to go, stuck behind a wall of horses. Prat was finally able to tip Nysos to the outside at the top of the lane and the colt responded almost immediately, quickly sweeping past Mirahmadi in mid-stretch while still under a hand-ride.
Nysos continued to draw off in the final sixteenth, crossing the wire to win easily while under wraps. Mirahmadi held for second, with Tarantino taking third.
Bred in Kentucky by Susie Atkins, Nysos is out of the mare, Zetta Z, an unraced daughter of Bernardini. A half-brother to the Stakes-placed filly, Attabe (Distorted Humor), Nysos hails from the immediate family of G1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner, Unbridled Elaine and Graded Stakes winners Etched (G2), Emotionless (G2) and Out Of Bounds (G3).
Nyquist is the sire of seven Graded/Group Stakes winners in 2025. The stallion’s other top runners are headlined by Cavalieri (G1 Beholder Mile, G3 La Canada); Crimson Advocate (G2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot); Gosger (G3 Lexington Stakes); Randomized (G3 Molly Pitcher); Verity (G2 Beaumont Stakes); and Tenma (G2 Santa Anita Oaks, G3 Las Virgenes Stakes).
