Barnes leads Baffert quintet in Malibu, Formula Rossa favored in La Brea; Nysos tops Pincay

A pair of Grade 1 events for three-year-olds at seven furlongs, the $300,000 Malibu (G1) and $300,000 La Brea (G1) for fillies, highlight a trio of graded dirt stakes on Santa Anita’s 11-race opening day program Sunday.

Rescheduled from Friday because of the weather, the blockbuster card also features the return of Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winner Nysos, who tops a field of seven in the $200,000 Laffit Pincay Jr. at 1 1/16 miles.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has won a record-tying six editions of the Malibu, including back-to-back runnings with Taiba and Speed Boat Beach in 2022-23, and other notable winners of the prestigious event include undefeated Horse of the Year Flightline, who earned his first stakes triumph in 2021.

Baffert is responsible for five of the 10 entrants this year, including 3-1 morning line favorite Barnes, who was last seen winning the Perryville (G3) at Keeneland by 8 1/4 lengths on Oct. 18. Jose Ortiz retains the mount. Cornucopian, unraced since April and pegged at 7-2, will add Flavien Prat for his return, and Midland Money (7-2), Madaket Road (5-1), and Goal Oriented (5-1) round out the Baffert brigade.

A smashing winner of her first two starts, Formula Rossa is listed as the 3-1 choice among 11 rivals in the La Brea. The speedy daughter of Vekoma exits a respectable second to Sweet Azteca in her stakes debut, the Rancho Bernardo (G3) at Del Mar in late August, and Mike Smith has the call for Mark Glatt.

Unraced since a 2 1/4-length win in March’s Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2), Five G will bring speed to the equation with Irad Ortiz Jr. Other La Brea contenders include stakes winners Her Laugh and Simply Joking, and fast allowance winners Usha and Magnificat.

Baffert will seek a record-breaking eight win in the Pincay, which was formerly known as the San Antonio. Pincay, who has won the third-most races in North American Thoroughbred history, captured the San Antonio five times.

Nysos, favored at 3-5 with regular rider Prat, will prep for the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) on Feb. 14. The once-beaten four-year-old colt sustained his lone setback, a dead-heat second, when missing by a neck in an outstanding renewal of the Churchill Downs (G1) on the Kentucky Derby undercard. Nysos has registered triple-digit Brisnet Speed ratings in all seven starts.

Baffert will also send out Goodwood (G1) winner Nevada Smith, who was last seen capturing the Native Diver (G3) on Nov. 22. The three-year-old Omaha Beach colt has won three of his last four starts, and Hernandez has the call on the 2-1 second choice.