Flavien Prat rode Nysos to a dominant win in the Metropolitan Mile on Belmont Stakes Day, June 14, 2026. The victory solidified Nysos' position as one of the top older race horses in the US.
What happened?
Nysos broke from the rail and immediately assumed the lead, with Prat maintaining position on the rail as the pace quickened.
The win
Prat downshifted and hit the gas pedal, allowing Nysos to retake the lead at the top of the stretch, accelerating down the lane with authority to win by a widening four lengths over Knightsbridge.
Post-race reaction
Bob Baffert, Nysos' trainer, praised Prat's ride, saying he "rode the horse beautifully against a very talented group."
Nysos' win was his tenth start in a career marked by injury and setbacks, including a year-long layoff after a mishap while training.
Road to the Breeders' Cup
The Met Mile win sets Nysos up for a strong run towards the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland, with Prat likely to remain in the saddle.
Prat's skill and experience were on full display as he guided Nysos to the dominant win, showcasing the horse's class and versatility.
The Met Mile has long been one of the most prestigious prizes in the older horse division of Thoroughbred racing, and Nysos' win is a significant milestone in his career.
Nysos was purchased by the Baoma Corporation for $550,000 as a two-year-old and has shown promise from an early age, winning his first three races by a combined 26 ¾ lengths.
The horse's comeback race at four on May 3, 2025, was a jump right into the deep end of the pool, and he was beaten a neck on a muddy track in the grade 1 Churchill Downs Stakes.
Back-to-back graded Stakes wins in late May and July exuded brilliance, but another minor setback kept him off the track until he closed the year with determined wins in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and the Laffit Pincay Stakes.
This racing year began with a shoot for the moon run in the Saudi Cup on February 14, where he finished a very determined second to Forever Young, widely regarded as one of the best race horses in the world.
Baffert has more grade 1 wins than any other trainer in history and has high praise for Nysos, saying he has "always known Nysos is super-talented, he has just had to have lots of time off for different reasons."
The patience of Nysos' owners has allowed Baffert to take his time with the horse, and the results are beginning to show, with Nysos now a top contender for the Breeders' Cup.
As the Thoroughbreds begin their run towards the Breeders' Cup, Nysos is one of the horses on the lead, and Prat will be looking to guide him to further success in the coming months.
The Met Mile win was a significant victory for Prat, who has established himself as one of the top jockeys in the sport, with a keen sense of tactics and a deep understanding of the horses he rides.
With Nysos' dominant win in the Met Mile, Prat has cemented his position as a top jockey, and the pair will be looking to build on this success in the coming months.
The road to the Breeders' Cup will be challenging, but with Prat in the saddle and Baffert at the helm, Nysos has a strong chance of success, and horse racing fans will be eagerly watching his progress in the coming months.