Rayya works for Kentucky Oaks; Unique Bella breezes for Beholder Mile

ARCADIA, Calif. – Rayya slowed down Saturday morning, by design, in her final workout before shipping to Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Oaks.

Her six-furlong drill at Santa Anita was her second work for trainer Bob Baffert and a stark contrast to last week, when she worked a fast six furlongs from the gate.

“She worked hard last week, I didn’t want to do too much [Saturday],” Baffert said. “We were trying to get her to sit off, get her to relax.”

Apparently, it worked. Rayya worked at 6:30 a.m. with Drayden Van Dyke. Baffert said she rated behind workmate Downtowner and finished well. Baffert timed her in 1:15 on a surface producing slow times. Clockers credited Rayya with five furlongs in 1:01.80.

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Baffert said Van Dyke “was happy with her. She worked nice. I only had a couple works to figure her out. Usually, she just goes to the lead. The other day [in her work], she broke like a shot. She has a lot of natural speed.”

Van Dyke, 23, will ride this year in his first Oaks and Derby. Van Dyke has the mount on Rayya and Derby longshot Instilled Regard.

Rayya will be making her U.S. debut in the Oaks after a successful winter in Dubai, where she won two of five and finished second to Mendelssohn in the UAE Derby. Afterward, Rayya was sent to Baffert in California.

• Fifteen days after a bad-trip runner-up finish in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park, Unique Bella returned to the work tab Saturday at Santa Anita, working five furlongs in 1:01.80. Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer typically works horses sooner after a race than this.

“You want to give them plenty of time out of a race; eight days frequently is quite enough time,” Hollendorfer said. “But she went on the road for the first time and then came back, and we’re not running until June.”

Unique Bella, 7 for 10, is aiming for the Grade 1 Beholder Mile on June 2 at Santa Anita. The race also will include Selcourt, who is scheduled to work Sunday. Selcourt will be stretching out after three successive blowout sprint wins, including a 104-Beyer Speed Figure romp in the Grade 2 Santa Monica last out.

• Skye Diamonds worked six furlongs in 1:14.20 on the Santa Anita training track and will ship Monday to Churchill Downs with Bill Spawr-trained stablemate Midnight Bisou. Skye Diamonds will run in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff on Kentucky Derby Day; Midnight Bisou will be one of the favorites in the Kentucky Oaks.