Trip Notes for December 6: Bayakoa Stakes

Saturday, December 6

Los Alamitos - Bayakoa (race 7)

COMMENT: Tiz Midnight, dropping from Grade 1 stakes, stalked pacesetter Yahilwa, moved up to take the lead from that foe coming into the lane, looked beaten when Warren’s Veneda surged past but found another gear to get up for the narrow win. She set a track record. She figures to have the Santa Anita older distaff stakes on her radar in the coming months, such as the Grade 1 Santa Maria Feb. 15 and Grade 1 Santa Margarita March 14. Warren’s Veneda, coming off a sharp third in a main-track sprint stakes at Del Mar Nov. 9, bided her time and came with a strong run into the lane, but couldn’t counter a resurgent Tiz Midnight in the final half-furlong. She could continue on in graded stakes as well, but also has the option of going in California-bred stakes at Santa Anita. Legacy, a stakes winner over this track, stalked the pace and stayed on decently, though she was no danger to the top two. The Santa Maria and Santa Margarita may be on her radar as well. Yahilwa, who’s been competitive in graded stakes and was coming off a big win in a stakes at Delta Downs Nov. 22, set the pace under pressure from the winner, tried to battle back into the lane, but gave way once headed. Maybe shipping back across the country after a busy schedule got the better of her. She’s certainly capable of better.