SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY — Last week, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert said he was going to run the imposing 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Nysos (Nyquist) in the $1-million GI Whitney Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 8 unless he changed his mind.He changed his mind.Speaking by phone from Kentucky, Baffert said the 5-year-old would instead be pointed to the 1 1/4-mile $1-million GI Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 22.“He's actually on a plane today to Del Mar,” Baffert said. “I want to run him once before the Breeders' Cup. If I ran him in the Whitney, I would have to run him twice. I want to get him to the Breeders' Cup the best way that I can.”Nysos has won eight of 10 career starts and finished second in his other two races. In his last start, he won the GI Metropolitan Handicap at Saratoga on June 6. Before that, he was second in the G1 Saudi Cup.Owned by Baoma Corp., Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor and Derrick Smith, Nysos is undefeated in three starts at Del Mar. He won the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile last year as well as the GII San Diego Handicap. In 2023, Nysos was a winner of the GIII Bob Hope Stakes.Since May, Nysos has been training at Churchill Downs where Baffert has had a strong presence this year. He did say he was going to be at Del Mar, his longtime summer base, next week.“The Whitney was very enticing,” said Baffert, who won the Whitney in 2019 with McKinzie (Street Sense) and 2020 with Improbable (City Zip), both former 'TDN Rising Stars'. “It's a mile and an eighth. It's just that he likes Del Mar…but he runs well wherever he goes.”The Whitney is still expected to draw a solid field that includes Magnitude (Not This Time), who won the GI Stephen Foster Stakes, the G1 Dubai World Cup and GIII Razorback Handicap; 2025 Horse of the Year Sovereignty (Into Mischief); Baeza (McKinzie), who was second in the Stephen Foster; White Abarrio (Race Day), who defeated Sovereignty in the GII Oaklawn Handicap; and Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro), last year's Eclipse Award-winning 3-year-old filly.Baffert said he is still targeting 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Explora (Blame) for the $500,000, seven-furlong GI Test Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga. That race is also on Aug. 8.The post Nysos To Skip Whitney, Will Run In Pacific Classic appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.