From Los Alamitos Publicity
CYPRESS, Calif. —Double Grade II winner As Time Goes By and the talented California-bred Warren’s Showtime are among 13 nominees to the Grade III, $100,000 Bayakoa Stakes.
The race for fillies and mares (3-year-olds & up) at 1 1/16 miles will be run Sunday, December 5, the third day of the Winter thoroughbred meet at Los Alamitos.
The race honors Bayakoa, an Argentine bred who won 21 of 39 and earned $2,861,701. Owned by Frank and Janis Whitham and trained by Hall of Famer Ron McAnally, the daughter of Consultants Bid, whose 13 Grade I victories including back-to-back scores in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (1989-1990), was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998.
Owned by a partnership that includes Mrs. John Magnier and Michael Tabor and trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, As Time Goes By won the Santa Maria and Santa Margarita in succession earlier this year at Santa Anita. The 4-year-old American Pharoah filly has won four of 11 and banked $475,600.
As Time Goes By has Los Alamitos experience. She broke her maiden over the track last Dec. 13.
Trained by Craig Lewis for owner-breeders Benjamin and Sally Warren, Warren’s Showtime is the most accomplished of the Bayakoa nominees in terms of victories. The 4-year-old daughter of Clubhouse Ride has won eight of 23 and earned $794,431.
Other nominees include Bella Vita, Brilliant Cut, Bye Bye Bertie, Ginja, who is also trained by Baffert and a maiden winner at Los Alamitos July 4, Harvest Moon, who won the Grade II Zenyatta Sept. 27, Javanica, Lisette, Moonlight d’Oro, heroine of the Grade III Las Virgenes Feb. 6 after graduating some two months earlier at Los Alamitos, Park Avenue, Queengol and Trouville.
The Bayakoa will be the second graded stakes run during the Winter Meet. The Grade I, $300,000 Starlet for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles will be contested Saturday, Dec. 4.
Possible Starlet participants include Grace Adler, winner of the Grade I Del Mar Debutante, Eda, who has won three of five for Baffert and Baoma Corporation, and Surfer Girl Stakes winner Cairo Memories.
Entries for the Starlet will be taken Wednesday, Dec. 1 while the Bayakoa will be drawn Thursday, Dec. 2.