Majestic Heat finds joy on Bayakoa Stakes' dirt

CYPRESS, Calif. - In four weeks, Majestic Heat went from being a bust in graded stakes on turf to a multiple stakes winner on dirt.

After finishing a quiet sixth in the Grade 2 Goldikova Stakes on turf at Del Mar on Nov. 4, Majestic Heat won her dirt track debut in the Betty Grable Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares at seven furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 12.

Majestic Heat won the first graded stakes of her career in the Grade 2 Bayakoa Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles Sunday at Los Alamitos.

“I didn’t think she ran at all in the grass race at Del Mar,” trainer Richard Mandella said. “I thought, I’ll throw her in (the dirt race) and see what happens. We do that sometimes and it doesn’t work.”

The change in surface has been a spectacular success.

Ridden by Mike Smith, Majestic Heat ($8) closed from sixth in a field of eight in the $201,035 Bayakoa Stakes to win by a convincing 2 1/2 lengths over Champagne Room, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2016. Madame Stripes, a 9-1 outsider, finished third.

Bernina Star, the 58-1 longest price in the field, finished fourth, followed by Pacific Wind, Street Surrender, Shenandoah Queen, and Constellation.

Majestic Heat was timed in 1:42.15. Smith had Majestic Heat toward the back of the field, racing wide on the backstretch. Smith guided Majestic Heat into contention with a four-wide move on the turn. Majestic Heat took the lead in early stretch with an eye-catching move.

“That was a big deal,” Mandella said.

Mandella said he saw similar rallies from Majestic Heat in main track workouts in the past, but that the enthusiasm did not translate into results in major turf stakes.

“In the afternoon, she went along as a horse with no speed,” he said.

Majestic Heat, a 5-year-old mare by Unusual Heat, has won 7 of 16 starts and earned $530,329 for owners Madeline Auerbach, Ron McCauley, and Bardy Farm. The Bayakoa Stakes was her seventh appearance in a graded stakes and first win. Majestic Heat has been fourth in two graded stakes on turf and has won three stakes for California-breds.

Majestic Heat is expected to stay in graded stakes on dirt at the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting that begins on Dec. 26.