Bayakoa: Bauer will take a shot with Mariah's Princess
Trainer Phil Bauer is set to take a shot in the Grade 3, $250,000 Bayakoa with Mariah’s Princess, who ran big to win the Mistletoe Stakes on Dec. 4 at Oaklawn. Bauer said that the filly is doing well, despite having her schedule thrown off by a winter storm that postponed the race a week.
“You never know until you run, and certainly had plans to run, but we were able to get a breeze in her on Sunday and she performed well,” Bauer said. “At this point we’re happy, we have a happy horse and I think she’s ready.”
Bauer said that after her win in the 1 1/16-mile Mistletoe, the graded test was a logical next step.
“It’s the right time,” Bauer said. “You knocked out the overnight stakes last time, and a Grade 3, that’s a good progression. I certainly feels like she belongs, or at least has an opportunity to try this group.”
Prior to the Mistletoe, the 4-year-old Ghostzapper filly had never run a route race. She broke her maiden at Fair Grounds in 2020 going six furlongs, before finishing second and fifth respectively in two stakes races at that distance.
After she won an allowance at Churchill Downs going seven furlongs in November, Bauer decided to give her a try going longer. The move paid off with the Mistletoe win.
“All our morning activities, as far as her breezes, she always carries out very well,” Bauer said. “And then her pedigree, she’s supposed to handle it very easy, so it all added up.”
Martin Garcia will have the ride on Mariah’s Princess, after riding her to the win in the Mistletoe. The filly was made the 5-1 fifth choice on the morning line and will start from post 5.
According to Bauer, the race will be a guide for the filly's future.
"I think it's one that will give you some answers," Bauer said. "There are some pretty decent horses in it for a seven-horse field, so if you're able to win or place in it, you feel like you're going to face pretty similar moving forward."
Mariah’s Princess is owned by Rigney Racing. She was a $350,000 purchase at the 2019 Keeneland September yearling sale.
Coach, trained by Brad Cox, was made the favorite at 5-2. She comes off a win in the Pippin at Oaklawn on Jan. 8 and will be ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr.
She will begin from the extreme outside of the seven-horse field.
Cox has the other side of the gate locked down as well, with Matera set to break from the rail position beneath Florent Geroux. The 5-year-old Tapit mare will make her 2022 debut in the race after finishing second in the Chilukki (G3) at Churchill Downs in November to cap her 2021 season.
Matera was set at 3-1 on the morning line, the co-second choice. Queen Goddess, running for trainer Michael McCarthy, shared those odds.
She also will be running for the first time in 2022, after finishing off last year with a win in the American Oaks (G1) at Santa Anita. Queen Goddess will be ridden by David Cabrera and will start from post 6.
The Bayakoa was originally set for last Saturday, but was postpone a week due to a winter storm. The National Weather Service forecasted the new date to have a 20 percent chance of showers in Hot Springs, Ark., with a high of 49, so the 1 1/16-mile event for fillies and mares ages 4 and up should be able to go off without a hitch.
The Bayakoa is carded as the eighth race of the day on Saturday. It is scheduled to go to post at 4:47 p.m. EST.
First post Saturday at Oaklawn is set for 1:10 p.m.