Lovesick Blues Upsets Bing Crosby Stakes, Earns Breeders' Cup Spot

At Del Mar on July 26, Nysos, trained by Bob Baffert, won the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap as the heavy 1-9 favorite, overcoming traffic late to finish strongly and set sights on the Grade 1 FanDuel Pacific Classic Stakes. Meanwhile, Lovesick Blues, a 7-year-old California-bred gelding trained by Librado Barocio, stunned with an 18-1 upset victory in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes, marking his first graded stakes win in 41 starts and earning an automatic berth into the Breeders' Cup Sprint. Ridden by Geovanni Franco, Lovesick Blues rallied from near the back of the pack to overtake pacesetter Hejazi and win by about two lengths on a fast dirt track, with a final time of 1:08.74. This victory also gave Barocio his first Grade 1 triumph, highlighting a successful switch back to dirt for the horse after recent turf races. The Bing Crosby Stakes is part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series, guaranteeing the winner a spot in the upcoming Breeders' Cup Sprint at Del Mar. Both wins have positioned the horses for prominent roles in major upcoming races this fall at Del Mar.