YES, it’s that time of year stateside again. When the potential Kentucky Derby contenders make their reappearance in the first weekend of graded prep races.

Unfortunately, the horse who gained the most attention, the Santa Anita Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes winner, won’t be going to the Derby.

Along with another leading contender from the Bob Baffert barn, Muth, Saturday’s impressive winner Nysos is not eligible to run in the 150th Kentucky Derby as Baffert is suspended by Churchill Downs following the disqualification of Medina Spirit in 2021. Neither Nysos nor Muth’s owners chose to transfer to another trainer prior to the January 29th deadline.

Nysos, a son of 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist, pounced on the leaders entering the stretch and drew away impressively to win by seven and a half lengths over the mile in 1m 36.65 secs under Flavien Prat from stable companion Wine Me Up. Nysos, the short priced favourite here, is unbeaten in three starts for Baoma Corp including two Grade 3s.

At the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale on Tuesday, Coolmore Stud bought his dam Zetta Z, paying $2 million for the daughter of Bernardini.

At Oaklawn, the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes also produced an impressive winner in the Kenny McPeek-trained Mystick Dan. Caution might be needed though as he got a run up the rail on a sloppy track and that may have given him an advantage. The son of Goldencents won by eight lengths under Brian Hernandez over an extended mile.

McPeek and Hernandez also won the fillies’ trial as Band of Gold came with a late burst to capture the $250,000 Martha Washington Stakes by two and three quarter lengths.

Highlight

Gulfstream’s Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes should have been the highlight of the weekend as it saw the reappearance of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and Eclipse Award winner Fierceness.

The Repole Stables’ colt however produced a tame effort in finishing only third to the Joe Orseno-trained gelding Hades who held off the challenge of Klaravich Stables’ Domestic Product by two lengths over the mile and half a furlong in a time of 1m46.07secs.

Fierceness raced three wide on the turn after experiencing some bumping following the break. Hades showed the way along the backstretch under pressure from Inveigled before Fierceness moved to the leader going into the far turn.

Fierceness got his head in front on the turn, but Hades battled back under Paco Lopez in the stretch and drew clear to win by two lengths.

The Fountain of Youth or the Florida Derby at Gulfstream are likely to be his next contests.

At Aqueduct the Grade 3 Withers Stakes went to Uncle Heavy, who came with a good late run to pip El Grande O by a nose for Parx trainer Butch Reid. The Wood Memorial at Aqueduct in New York in early April is his likekly next target.

THERE are three Irish-trained colts nominated for the US Triple Crown at the first stage of entry this week.

Aidan O’Brien has entered Henry Adams a colt by No Nay Never. He won his maiden and the seven-furlong Tyros Stakes in July before contesting the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (Grand Criterium) and Dewhurst Stakes where he was fourth to City Of Troy.

The Dubawi colt Navy Seal won his maiden at Galway and finished the year down the field in the Group 1 Critérium International at Saint-Cloud in October.

Dermot Weld, with a Belmont Stakes win to his name, has entered the Churchill colt Taraj. The Jastar Capital Limited-owned colt broke his maiden over a mile at Dundalk last November.