Hollywood Park: Fiftyshadesofhay, Spellbound resume rivalry in Bayakoa

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Fiftyshadesofhay and Spellbound were third and fourth in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks in April. After that, the two 3-year-old fillies had diverse seasons for the next six months.

Fiftyshadesofhay won two graded stakes and was second in the Grade 1 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga. Spellbound was sidelined with a bone chip in an ankle.

They meet again in Saturday’s $150,000 Bayakoa Handicap at Betfair Hollywood Park, a race likely to be the first of several match-ups for the pair in coming months. The Bayakoa leads to the La Canada Stakes for 4-year-old fillies at Santa Anita in January, and stakes against older mares in early 2014.

For the Grade 2 Bayakoa, for fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles, Fiftyshadesofhay will be favored to win her fourth stakes of the year.

“She’s getting better with age,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “We’ll see how she runs against the older mares.”[bc_video_id:311617:]

Owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman, Fiftyshadesofhay was third as the 2-5 favorite in the Grade 2 Indiana Oaks at Indiana Downs on Oct. 5. She led by a half-length with a furlong remaining and faded to finish 2 1/2 lengths behind Pure Fun while racing on a sloppy track.

“I think maybe it was the off track,” Baffert said of the loss. “It wasn’t her day.”

Fiftyshadesofhay is expected to be near the front in the Bayakoa, an opposite racing style from Spellbound, who is trained by Richard Mandella. Spellbound runs from off the pace. She used that style to win consecutive starts in a maiden race and an allowance at Santa Anita in January and February before losing by 6 1/4 lengths to stablemate Beholder in the Santa Anita Oaks. The injury was detected following that race.

“She was getting better,” Mandella said.

Mandella said he would have preferred to start Spellbound in an allowance for her comeback but none were available, leading to the start in the stakes.

“She’s in good shape or I wouldn’t try it,” Mandella said.

The Bayakoa Handicap drew a field of 10, six of whom are 3-year-old fillies. They include the stakes winners Broken Sword, Charlie Em, and Warren’s Veneda. Charlie Em is winless in five starts since the Grade 3 Senorita Stakes on turf at Hollywood Park in May. She was third to Beholder in the Torrey Pines Stakes on the synthetic track at Del Mar in August. Beholder later won the Breeders’ Cup Distaff for Mandella on Nov. 1.

Of the four 4-year-old fillies in the field, Curvy Cat is the most accomplished this year. Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, Curvy Cat won the B. Thoughtful Stakes here in April and was second in the Cat’s Cradle.