Degenerate Gal Wins; Bayakoa Finishes Last

Degenerate Gal, ridden by Pat Day, surrendered the lead in the far turn and then rallied to hold off Charon for a 1 1/4-length victory Friday’s $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park in what turned out to be a sad swan song for Bayakoa.

Bayakoa, the 3-5 favorite, was not pushed down the stretch by Laffit Pincay and finished last in the field of six older fillies and mares in her final race.

The two-time Eclipse Award winning mare will be shipped to Kentucky Monday where she will be bred to Strawberry Road.

“She looked OK when she came back, maybe this was just one too many,” trainer Ron McAnally said. “Laffit said she just wasn’t into it today. I guess this is the right time to call it quits.”

“I don’t really know what happened,” Pincay said. “I wish I had an excuse to give you.”

Degenerate Gal, owned by R.W. McDonald and trained by Burk Kessinger Jr., completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:41 1/5. She returned $14.80, $4.80 and $3.60. Charon returned $4.60 and $4.20.

It was another two lengths back to Fit to Scout, who paid $5.80.