SANTA ANITA : Little Brianne Beats Bayakoa Again

There was some good news for Bayakoa’s quest to pass Lady’s Secret as thoroughbred racing’s all-time money-winning female.

Trainer Jack Van Berg’s current plans call for Little Brianne to remain in California, meaning she isn’t likely to show up for Oaklawn Park’s Apple Blossom Handicap in April. That is Bayakoa’s next stop and with a victory, the two-time Eclipse Award-winner would pass Lady’s Secret.

Certainly, Bayakoa has seen enough of Little Brianne, who, at this point, deserves to be called the new queen of the fillies and mares.

Even though Bayakoa improved considerably off her 1991 debut two weeks earlier in the Santa Maria Handicap, she was no match for the 6-year-old Coastal mare when the real running began in Saturday’s $300,000 Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap at Santa Anita.

Sent off as the 4-5 favorite after finishing last at 1-5 in her first race as a 7-year-old, the Argentine mare got the lead over a track that favored front-runners all afternoon, but put up little resistance when challenged by the Santa Maria winner and the 3-1 second choice.

Third early behind Bayakoa and A Wild Ride, Little Brianne and Julio Garcia took over approaching the quarter-pole, opened up a two-length lead a furlong from the finish and maintained that margin to the wire to win in 1:48 2/5 for the 1 1/8 miles.

In the process, she ended Bayakoa’s two-year Santa Margarita domination and also did something Gorgeous and assorted other fillies and mares were unable to do in this country--defeat Frank and Jan Whitham’s mare two times in a row.

Granted, Little Brianne got a seven-pound weight advantage--126-119--from the runner-up, down from 11 in the Santa Maria, but it wasn’t being used as an excuse by trainer Ron McAnally or Laffit Pincay, Bayakoa’s regular jockey.

“She was more willing to go today,” Pincay said. “She ran well and improved a lot from the last race and I think she’s going to be better after this race. But I didn’t see any excuses.

“I didn’t want to be inside other horses, so I opened up about a length and she relaxed then. If I would have had an outside post, I would have laid off Chris’ (McCarron) horse (A Wild Ride), but she’s unwilling when she’s on the inside.”

Nor was McAnally discouraged. “She got a little tired, but she ran game,” he said. “I’m happy with her. She can still break the record if she wins the Apple Blossom. Our mare didn’t quit today.”

Now, Van Berg can send Little Brianne back to her other favorite surface. A two-time Grade I stakes winner on the main track, she has eight victories on the grass and the logical next step for her is another Grade I, the $150,000 Santa Ana Handicap March 10.

“I told Julio that Bayakoa and A Wild Ride would probably be on the lead,” Van Berg said. “She’s got enough speed to go with them, but he should probably sit behind them. But I told (Garcia) to use his own judgment.

“She’s a good mare and getting better. She looks like she can compete with the best on either surface. She works fast in the mornings and runs fast in the afternoon.”

A Wild Ride finished two lengths behind Bayakoa and a bit more than two ahead of Vieille Vigne. Highland Tide, Palace Chill and Fit To Scout, Van Berg’s other starter, completed the order of finish. Formidable Lady was scratched to run in an allowance turf race today.

Bidding for his fourth consecutive victory, Farma Way is expected to be favored when he takes on eight rivals in today’s $331,750 San Antonio Handicap at Santa Anita.

Beaten once in four starts since joining Wayne Lukas’ barn, the 4-year-old Marfa colt got away with very slow fractions when leading wire to wire in the San Pasqual Handicap two weeks ago. He pulled away when asked by Gary Stevens and won by 2 1/2 lengths in 1:40 1/5 for 1 1/16 miles. The San Antonio, the final prep for the Santa Anita Handicap next month, will be 1 1/8 miles.

Flying Continental, who was second in the San Pasqual in his first race since the Breeders’ Cup Classic, will be dropping a pound off that effort. He will carry 121 today, three more than Farma Way. Corey Black will ride Flying Continental again.

Three of the entrants in the Grade I race will be making their first start on the main track--Missionary Ridge, Louis Cyphre and Anshan. The other scheduled participants are Stylish Stud, third in the San Pasqual, Jovial, Kaboi and Festin.

Horse Racing Notes

Trainer Noble Threewitt has been re-elected president of the California Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Assn. A record 3,456 ballots were received and Threewitt defeated Brian Sweeney, 2,034-1,048, to earn another three-year term. Elected to the CHBPA’s Board of Directors were owners Ed Friendly, Samantha Siegel, John Valpredo, Mike Steele and Aase Headley and trainers Charlie Whittingham, Bill Shoemaker, Ted West, David Hofmans and Walter Greenman. Valpredo, Steele, Headley, Whittingham and West were all incumbents.

Veteran jockey Earlie Fires was presented the George Woolf Award Saturday in a ceremony between the fourth and fifth races. . . . El Senor, who was third in the Breeders’ Cup Turf in his last start, is the highweight at 120 pounds for Monday’s $250,000 San Luis Obispo Handicap at 1 1/2 miles on the turf. Also entered Saturday in the Grade III event were Intelligently, Royal Reach, Tsu’s Dawning, Live The Dream, Pleasant Variety, Rial, Mashkour and Vaguely Hidden. . . . Bayakoa earned $60,000 Saturday, leaving her $203,901 short of Lady’s Secret.