Nysos cruised to victory in the $1 million Grade 1 Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan Handicap to headline the Belmont Stakes undercard June 6 at Saratoga Race Course.

Under jockey Flavien Prat, the 5-year-old son of Nyquist completed the mile in a final time of 1:34.85, just a few ticks off the track record. Nysos won by four lengths over runner-up Knightsbridge. Journalism settled for third. He paid $4.94 to win as the favorite.

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Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert calls Nysos "one of the smartest horses I've ever trained." He ranks up there in talent, too.

Nysos raced in front on fractions of :23.52, :45.61, and 1:09.49 while flanked by both Antiquarian and Knightsbridge to his outside. He briefly fell back to fourth in order to move off the inside on the backstretch.

Nysos then came back on the leaders and finished with authority to devastate the opposition.

"When I tipped him out, he gave me a great run," Prat said.

The Metropolitan Handicap, known as the "Met Mile," served as a "Win and You're In" Breeders' Cup Challenge Series qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, a race Nysos won last year at Del Mar. This year's Breeders' Cup World Championships will be held Oct. 30-31 at Keeneland.

Despite the free invite to the Dirt Mile, Baffert said he wants to pursue the $7 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic at 1 1/4 miles with Nysos instead. Baffert mentioned the Aug. 22 Grade 1 Pacific Classic Stakes at Del Mar as a possible race in between. The distance of the Pacific Classic is also 1 1/4 miles.

Beginning this winter, Coolmore partnered with Nysos, who now races for original owner Baoma and Coolmore-affiliated owners Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith.

Charlie O'Connor, director of sales for Coolmore's Ashford Stud, said Nysos' victory "means the world to this horse. This is a real stallion-making race."

Nysos is now 8-2-0 in 10 starts with career earnings of $5,288,500.

Englishman Wins Woody Stephens in Track Record Time

Englishman outran the top 3-year-old sprinters in the country to take the $500,000 Grade 1 Woody Stephens Stakes presented by Mohegan Sun June 6 at Saratoga Race Course under jockey Jose Ortiz. Trained by Cherie DeVaux for CRK Stable, the 3-year-old son of Maxfield tied the seven-furlong track record in 1:20.40 to win by 5 3/4 lengths over Crude Velocity.

Englishman turned the tables on Crude Velocity, who had beaten him in both horses' last race in the May 2 Grade 2 Pat Day Mile presented by SAP at Churchill Downs. A fast-closing Obliteration finished third. Englishman paid $10.56 to win. 

Englishman received the perfect trip under Ortiz, his regular rider. They stalked the pace through fractions of :21.98 and :43.97 and dispatched of the early leader as the field turned for home. Crude Velocity, the 4-5 favorite under Florent Geroux, also launched a move, but the previously unbeaten colt could not offer a serious challenge to Englishman who lengthened his advantage with every stride.

"When I asked him to go, he was there for me," Ortiz said of Englishman.

DeVaux expressed confidence earlier in the week that her colt would benefit from cutting back in distance from a mile to seven furlongs.

"I think he's most effective at this distance, but in his last race, he just never got a chance to breathe," DeVaux said. "I think that was what really made the difference today."

Englishman now owns a record of 3-1-0 in four career starts with earnings of $519,500. -- Karen M. Johnson

Deterministic Wins Manhattan to Run Win Streak to Five in a Row

Deterministic just keeps on rolling. The 5-year-old son of Liam's Map notched his fifth consecutive graded stakes victory by scoring a repeat victory in the $1 million Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Manhattan Stakes June 6 at Saratoga Race Course.

Deterministic. (Carlos J. Calo/Eclipse Sportswire)

Rating in second early behind pacesetter Rhetorical in fractions of :22.99, :47.01, 1:09.83, and 1:32.92, Deterministic travelled well under confident handling by jockey Kendrick Carmouche and battled in the stretch drive to wear down Rhetorical. He then held off oncoming Test Score to win by a half-length. The time of 1:50.50 for the 1 3/16 miles set a course record at Saratoga. Rhetorical faded to fourth behind One Stripe, who was up for third.

Trained by Miguel Clement, Deterministic returned $11.84 to win.

"He's top class," Clement said. I've always thought he was the best turf horse in the country. He proved that today. I thought we deserved the Eclipse Award last year, but I'm biased. Hopefully, everyone will understand why I think he's the leader of the division."

Deterministic has five wins in his last five starts, all coming in graded stakes races. Carmouche has piloted him to all five of those wins and the pair has yet to lose together.

"What a sensational job by Miguel Clement and his team. I'm just so pleased, just so happy," Carmouche said. "He's different, I'm telling you. The feeling you get ... he's all about business." -- Lizzy Madden

Reef Runner Unseats Ag Bullet for Jaipur Stakes Crown

The rigors of traveling to and competing in the Middle East can be withering for some horses, but not Reef Runner. After two strong efforts against top international competition in Saudi Arabia and Dubai earlier this year, Reef Runner returned home to the United States and showed he was no worse for the wear June 6 when he captured the $500,000 Grade 1 Jaipur Stakes at Saratoga.

Reef Runner. (Jetta Vaughns/Eclipse Sportswire)

Reef Runner earned the winner's share of the purse plus a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series "Win and You're In" berth into the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint this fall at Keeneland.

Reef Runner's final time was a blazing 1:00.02. As the third choice in a 10-horse field in the Jaipur, Reef Runner paid $12.48 to win. Defending 2025 Jaipur winner Ag Bullet took second by a neck over John the Beer Man in third.

"That was great," winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. said. "He always kicks at the end. He did it on his own. I never hit him. I was full of horse."

Fourth in last fall's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, Reef Runner won for the ninth time in his career in 25 starts for trainer David Fawkes and lifted his earnings to $2,177,580. -- Bob Ehalt

Classic Q Takes Just a Game

Classic Q took them wire to wire to earn her first career Grade 1 victory in the $500,000 Just a Game Stakes presented by Resolute Racing June 6 at Saratoga. 

Classic Q. (Jetta Vaughns/Eclipse Sportswire)

The Mark Casse trainee broke strongly under jockey John Velazquez and got in an early pace battle with the post-time favorite Segesta. As the field moved into the first turn, Classic Q took over and fought off bids from Mandanaba and Segesta to get the win. The 4-year-old daughter of Classic Empire hit the wire 1 1/4 lengths in front. She completed the mile on the firm turf in a final time of 1:32.84 and paid $14.44 to win. French shipper Mandanaba finished second, while Segesta had to settle for third.

"She's always been talented, really talented. She's amazing," said Classic Casse. "She had double ankle surgery before she ever made her first start, that's why she was so late getting started. She's just been unbelievable." -- Lizzy Madden

Book'em Danno Tops Bentornato to Score True North Repeat

Last year, Book'em Danno edged Bentornato in Eclipse Award voting as champion male sprinter, though they never met on the racetrack. To the delight of racing fans, they've now begun to settle their battles on the racetrack. Round 1 came June 6 in the $400,000 Grade 3 True North Stakes at Saratoga, and after the two elite sprinters traded punches, it was Book'en Danno rallying past Bentornato late by three-quarters of a length to win.

Book'em Danno. (Scott Serio/Eclipse Sportswire)

Circumstances seemed to play to Book'en Danno's favor with Saturday's race coming at his favorite track at Saratoga, and at the 6 1/2-furlong distance that perhaps is a sixteenth of a mile beyond Bentornato's best trip. Those factors were evident late as Book'em Danno was able to wear down Bentornato after Bentornato was occupied with Listenupshance on the front end for much of the race through demanding fractions of :21.76 and :43.44.

Jockey Paco Lopez, urging Book'em Danno to catch up in early stretch, was able to ease up in the saddle late. The winner was timed in 1:14.79 for the distance, not far off his 2025 True North-winning time of 1:14.64. He paid $5.72 to win as the second favorite behind Bentornato, who ran on for second. Listenupshance was third.

"Maybe we'll put this to bed now. Tired of hearing about Bentornato," said Book'em Danno's New Jersey-based trainer, Derek Ryan.

Book'em Danno, a 5-year-old gelding by Bucchero out of the Ghostzapper mare Adorabella, received a warm ovation from his ownership partners in Atlantic Six Racing, as well as from the fans at Saratoga, who appreciate his 5-1-0 record in six local starts. Last year, Book'em Danno completed an unprecedented sweep of Saratoga's three major sprint races: The True North, Alfred G. Vanderbilt Stakes, and Forego Stakes.

Ryan suggested a more selective campaign could be in order this year with the hope that Book'em Dannon can compete in the Breeders' Cup Sprint in the fall at Keeneland.

"We're going to try and make Keeneland. We want a fresh horse," Ryan said. -- Byron King