Queen Goddess Takes on Local Standouts in Bayakoa
California invader Queen Goddess , winner of the off-the-turf Dec. 26 American Oaks (G1) at Santa Anita Park, takes on a pair of two formidable Oaklawn Park stakes winners in Coach and Mariah’s Princess in the Feb. 5 $250,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) for older fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles.
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and TOLO Thoroughbreds’ Queen Goddess had never run on the dirt before her breakthrough black-type success in the American Oaks. Breaking on top in the American Oaks, the daughter of Empire Maker grew wings over the main track, dictating the pace throughout and surging clear to a 2 3/4-length score. She earned a stout 107 Equibase Speed Figure for the effort.
Queen Goddess won’t be able to skate away so easily from her rivals in the Bayakoa, as the opposing Mariah’s Princess and Miss Bigly also flash consistent early speed.
Trained by Michael McCarthy, Queen Goddess will be piloted by jockey David Cabrera. While she ran without Lasix in the American Oaks, she will compete with Lasix in Saturday’s race.
Coach and Mariah’s Princess are each exiting stylish victories over the Hot Springs, Ark., oval. Kueber Racing’s Coach splashed to the wire a three-length winner of the Jan. 8 Pippin Stakes, acing her second consecutive win since returning from a near eight-month layoff for trainer Brad Cox.
Rigney Racing’s Mariah’s Princess, like Coach, is another that has notched two straight wins since a lengthy hiatus from the races. The Phil Bauer trainee cruised by 6 1/4 lengths in a Nov. 4 Churchill Downs allowance contest before rolling to a three-length tally in the Dec. 4 Mistletoe Stakes on opening weekend at Oaklawn.
ENTRIES: BAYAKOA S. (G3)
Oaklawn Park, Saturday, February 05, 2022, Race 9
- Grade III
- 1 1/16m
- Dirt
- $250,000
- 4 yo’s & up Fillies and Mares
- 5:21 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miss Bigly (KY) |
Ramon A. Vazquez | 119 | Philip D’Amato | – |
| 2 | Coach (KY) | Ricardo Santana, Jr. | 122 | Brad H. Cox | – |
| 3 | Jilted Bride (FL) |
Joel Rosario | 119 | Steven M. Asmussen | – |
| 4 | She’s All Wolfe (OK) | Francisco Arrieta | 119 | Donnie K. Von Hemel | – |
| 5 | Queen Goddess (KY) | David Cabrera | 119 | Michael W. McCarthy | – |
| 6 | Matera (KY) |
Florent Geroux | 119 | Brad H. Cox | – |
| 7 | Mariah’s Princess (KY) |
Martin Garcia | 119 | Philip A. Bauer | – |