Weekend Racing at Hollywood Park : Bayakoa Will Attempt to Pull Another Fast One

There is nothing subtle about Bayakoa. The buck-toothed bay mare knows only one way to run--as fast as she can for as far as she can--and will be doing it again today at Hollywood Park in the $165,500 Milady Handicap.

Bayakoa’s freakish speed is becoming legendary. Soon she could be mentioned in the same breath as Pink Pigeon, whose exciting style had fans flocking to the races in the 1960s, or even Melair, the white comet of three summers ago.

In winning the Hawthorne Handicap on May 20, Bayakoa equaled Melair’s Silver Screen Handicap clocking of 1:32 4/5 for a mile on the main track. In the history of thoroughbred racing, they are the only two females to crack the magic 1:33 barrier.

Ron McAnally, who trains Bayakoa, describes the 5-year-old Argentine mare as having “the straight hind leg of a quarter horse and the physical scope of a distance horse.” The combination has been deadly for the opposition.

In five starts this season for Nebraska rancher-banker Frank Whitham, Bayakoa has been behind another horse only once. That was in January, after she had knocked herself dizzy by breaking through the starting gate before the Santa Maria Handicap. And she still finished a close second to the accomplished Miss Brio.

Since then, Bayakoa has swept three major races at three different tracks, in front every step of the way.

The only other mare mentioned in the same breath has been Banker’s Lady, a winner of three stakes in New York this season. But Banker’s Lady was beaten badly in the Hempstead Handicap last Saturday at Belmont Park, which gives Bayakoa the chance to seize the leadership of the national division outright.

Bayakoa must pay the price for her success and carry 124 pounds in the 1 1/16-mile Milady. Standing in her way will be four lightly-weighted hopefuls--Carita Tostada, Flying Julia and Behind the Scenes, all soundly beaten by Bayakoa already this year, and Hollywood Glitter, a classy mare on the comeback trail.

Goodbye Halo, second to Bayakoa three times this year, was entered for the Milady but is not likely to run. Her trainer, Charlie Whittingham, will be looking for a race without Bayakoa.

Today’s supporting feature at Hollywood Park will be the simulcast of the $300,000 Golden Gate Handicap from Golden Gate Fields.

That 1 3/8-mile turf race will mark the debut of Wayne Gretzky as a thoroughbred owner. Last month, King owner Bruce McNall sold Gretzky a piece of Frankly Perfect, a major stakes winner who is also trained by Whittingham.

But even if Gretzky shows up for the race, he would have to share top billing with Great Communicator, the defending champion. Great Communicator is fresh from a win in the Hollywood Turf Handicap on Memorial Day.

Great Communicator will carry top weight of 125 pounds, compared to 122 on Frankly Perfect. The rest of the field includes Pleasant Variety, Dance Card Filled, Master Treaty and course specialist Brown Bess, who will be trying to beat the boys.

Horse Racing Notes

Pasakos, once a top colt in France, makes his U.S. stakes debut on Sunday in the $109,400 Inglewood Handicap. The high-spirited bay will be challenged by defending champion Steinlen, Skip Out Front, Wait Till Monday, Mi Preferido, New Colony, Loyal Double and Trokhos.

Chris McCarron will be at Thistledown in Cleveland today, trying to get King Glorious back on track in the $300,000 Ohio Derby. Mercedes Won, Halo Hansom and Caeser are the only ones given a chance against the California flash, who suffered his first defeat last month.

Trainer John Sadler reports that Melair’s first foal, by Mr. Prospector, will be sold at the select Keeneland auction in July. Melair is back in foal to Relaunch, who was almost as gray and almost as fast as Melair in his racing days.