Valiant Emilia gets class relief in Bayakoa

DEL MAR, Calif. — Valiant Emilia, the Peruvian-bred filly who was eighth of 11 in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita on Oct. 31, will get much-needed class relief when she starts in Saturday’s $200,000 Bayakoa Stakes for fillies and mares at Los Alamitos.

Her appearance in the Grade 2 Bayakoa was confirmed after a five-furlong workout in 1:00.60 at Santa Anita on Sunday. The Bayakoa is run over 1 1/16 miles and is the richest race for fillies and mares at the three-week Los Alamitos December meeting, which begins Thursday.

Owned by Teneri Farm Inc. and trained by Gary Mandella, Valiant Emilia made her American debut in the BC Distaff, finishing 12 1/2 lengths behind Untapable. Mandella said Sunday that he is hoping the easier race will lead to an American stakes win for Valiant Emilia, a 5-year-old mare by the Fusaichi Pegasus stallion Pegasus Wind.

In Peru, Valiant Emilia won eight stakes on dirt ranging in distances from six furlongs to 1 1/4 miles. Valiant Emilia has won 11 of 24 starts and earned $81,667. In Peru, Valiant Emilia ran in stakes with prize money ranging from $8,500 to $39,900.

Aside from the Bayakoa, Mandella said races at Santa Anita such as the $200,000 Santa Maria Stakes on Feb. 14 and the $350,000 Santa Margarita Invitational on March 14 are possibilities for early 2015. Those races are unlikely to include Beholder, the two-time champion who is trained by Gary’s father, Richard. Beholder is currently turned out, with the likelihood of resuming light training by the end of this year.

“I think there are some opportunities with Beholder taking some time off,” Gary Mandella said. “Maybe early in the year we can catch some stakes.”