Coach Chasing Third Straight Win In Rescheduled Bayakoa

Trainer Brad Cox tries to continue his dominance in Oaklawn's two-turn stakes series for older fillies and mares in Saturday's $250,000 Bayakoa (G3) at 1 1/16 miles.

The Bayakoa originally was scheduled Feb. 5 before being postponed because of a winter storm that closed the Hot Springs, Ark. track last weekend. The Bayakoa was redrawn Monday, with the original cast of seven again entered. The field will be reduced by at least one after trainer Phil Bauer said Mariah's Princess would be scratched.

Probable post time for the 1 1/16-mile Bayakoa, the eighth of 11 races, is 3:47 p.m. (Central). The 10th race is the $600,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) for older horses at 1 1/16 miles. First post Saturday is 12:10 p.m. (Central).

Cox has won four of Oaklawn's last five two-turn stakes races for older females, dating to the $150,000 Pippin in January 2021 with Getridofwhatailesu. Cox then captured the $250,000 Bayakoa (G3) with two-time Eclipse Award winner Monomoy Girl and the $350,000 Azeri (G2) with Shedaresthedevil. Monomoy Girl, in what would be her final career start, was beaten a nose by Letruska in the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) last April to deny Cox a four-race sweep in 2021.

Cox found the winner's circle again in the $150,000 Pippin Jan. 8 with Coach (Commissioner), who is the 5-2 program favorite Saturday. Cox also has the 3-1 co-second choice in the program in multiple stakes winner Matera.

Freshened following last April's $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) for 3-year-old fillies, Coach is seeking her third consecutive victory. She was a sharp two-length allowance winner in her Dec. 17 comeback race at Oaklawn.

“Obviously, Coach loves Oaklawn,” Cox said. “She's better than she's ever been. She always tries hard. She's very competitive. Obviously, it's a step up. The way she's training, I feel like she can step another step forward. It will be her third run off the layoff, so I'm excited about her.”

Blue-blooded Matera – Tapit out of Oaklawn stakes winner Miss Macy Sue – captured an allowance race last March in Hot Springs in her first start for Cox. The $1.4 million Keeneland September Yearling Sale graduate added stakes victories at Horseshoe Indianapolis (formerly Indiana Grand) and Ellis Park before closing 2021 with a runner-up finish in the $300,000 Chilukki Stakes (G3) Nov. 20 at Churchill Downs.

“Matera missed a little bit of time once she arrived at Oaklawn,” Cox said. “Had an illness. Nothing major at all, we just missed some time. Got her back going and she's had three works since. This was obviously a race we were pointing for, this and the Houston Ladies Classic (Jan. 30). Waiting for this gave us an opportunity to work her once more. She's a little behind where we expected her to be, given the fact she ran in November, and missed a little time. But she's done extremely well once we got her back to the track and training, so we'll see where we are.”

The Bayakoa entrants from the rail out:

  1. Matera, Florent Geroux to ride, 119 pounds, 3-1 on the morning line
  2. Miss Bigly, Ramon Vazquez, 119, 9-2
  3. She's All Wolfe, Francisco Arrieta, 119, 12-1
  4. Jilted Bride, Joel Rosario, 119, 8-1
  5. Mariah's Princess, Martin Garcia, 119, 5-1
  6. Queen Goddess, David Cabrera, 119, 3-1; and
  7. Coach, Ricardo Santana Jr., 122, 5-2.

Mariah's Princess, however, will be scratched after not training satisfactorily, Bauer said in a text message Wednesday night. Mariah's Princess has won her last two starts by a combined 9 ¼ lengths, including a three-length score in the inaugural $150,000 Mistletoe Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles Dec. 4.

“Tough game,” Bauer said.

Southern California-based Queen Goddess exits a front-running 2 ¾-length victory in the $300,000 American Oaks (G1) for 3-year-old fillies Dec. 26 at Santa Anita. The 1 ¼-mile American Oaks, moved from the grass to the main track because of rain, marked the dirt debut for Queen Goddess, a 4-year-old daughter of Empire Maker who races for her breeder, TOLO Thoroughbreds, & Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners.

Trainer Michael McCarthy said Queen Goddess arrived in Hot Springs Feb. 1 after being flown via FedEx to Memphis and vanned approximately 190 miles. Queen Goddess worked an easy half-mile in :53.40 Monday in advance of the Bayakoa, which is a major local prep for the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) March 12 and, ultimately, the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) April 23. The Azeri and Apple Blossom are also 1 1/16-mile races.

“Looks like on paper she should be right there, with a little bit of speed outside of her,” McCarthy said. “The controlling speed looks to be inside, so David can get himself into a good position going into the first turn and let the chips fall as they may.”

Queen Goddess made her first five career starts on grass. In addition to winning at 1 ¼ miles, Queen Goddess broke her maiden at 1 1/16 miles Aug. 7 at Del Mar and finished fifth in the $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (G1) at 1 1/8 miles Oct. 16 at Keeneland.

“This is a mile and a sixteenth, so a little different strategy, a little different race shape,” McCarthy said. “We'll see. She's certainly earned the chance to go ahead and compete.”

The consistent Miss Bigly ran third behind Matera in the Chilukki and second behind Coach in the Pippin. Trained by Phil D'Amato, Miss Bigly has finished first, second or third in 19 of 25 lifetime starts.

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Obligatory Gives Rosario Fourth Win On Saturday’s Card With Chilukki Victory

A contentious early pace and a patient ride from jockey Joel Rosario gave Obligatory everything she needed for an easy victory in the Grade 3 Chilukki at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

With three wins already under his belt Saturday, Rosario guided Obligatory to fifth, 6 1/2 lengths back of Princess Causeway who veered out at the break and then zoomed to the lead coming out of the chute at Churchill Downs. Quick early fractions of :22.77 and :45.98 left Princess Causeway unable to hold on to the lead as the field entered the far turn, with Miss Bigly and Matera passing the former leader as they approached the top of the stretch.

Rosario took Obligatory four-wide on the turn as Miss Bigly took the lead early in the stretch. His patience paid off as Obligatory had plenty left to pass first Matera and then Miss Bigly, taking over the front halfway down the stretch and getting a comfortable three-length lead before Rosario powered her down to take the Chilukki by two and a half lengths. Matera passed Miss Bigly for second, with Pass the Plate fourth. Sally's Curlin, She Can't Sing, and Princess Causeway

The final time for the one-mile stakes was 1:34.80. Find this race's chart here.

Obligatory paid $5.00, $3.20, and $2.20. Matera paid $4.00 and $2.60. Miss Bigly paid $2.40.

Bred in Kentucky by her owner Juddmonte Farms, Obligatory is by Curlin out of the Macho Uno mare Uno Duo. She is trained by Bill Mott. With her win in the G3 Chilukki, the 3-year-old filly has three wins in eight starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of 9-3-2-0 and career earnings of $711,514.

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Obligatory Tabbed 5-2 Morning Line Favorite In Chilukki

Juddmonte's Grade 2-winning homebred Obligatory was made the 5-2 morning line favorite as she attempts to become the fourth 3-year-old in the last five years to win the $300,000 Chilukki (G3) at Churchill Downs.

The 36th running of the Chilukki at one-mile for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up will go as Race 10 of 11 with a post time of 5:36 p.m. (all times Eastern). First post is 1 p.m.

Obligatory was the 16-1 upset winner of the Eight Belles on the undercard of the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1). Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Obligatory finished second in the $500,000 Acorn (G1) and $1 million Cotillion (G1). In the last four years, Finite (2020), Sally's Curlin (2019) and Farrell (2017) have won the Chilukki as a 3-year-old. Joel Rosario will have the mount on Obligatory from post position No. 7.

The aforementioned Sally's Curlin is also entered in the Chilukki field. There have been no multiple winners of the Chilukki.

Trainer Brad Cox reported the Chilukki is likely to be the final start for Don Alberto Stable's multiple stakes winner Matera. The 4-year-old filly will attempt to garner a graded stakes-placing for the first time in her career. She previously won the $125,000 Groupie Doll and $85,000 Mari Hulman George Memorial.

The complete field for the Chilukki from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds):

  1. She Can't Sing (Tyler Gaffalione, Chris Block, 6-1)
  2. Sally's Curlin (Brian Hernandez Jr., Dale Romans, 10-1)
  3. Matera (Florent Geroux, Cox, 3-1)
  4. Miss Bigly (Martin Garcia, Phil D'Amato, 3-1)
  5. Pass the Plate (Joe Talamo, Paul McGee, 20-1)
  6. Its Cold in Dehere (Ricardo Santana Jr. Norm Casse, 12-1)
  7. Obligatory (Rosario, Mott, 5-2)
  8. Princess Causeway (Chris Landeros, Ian Wilkes, 6-1)

Wagering is available online at www.TwinSpires.com, the official ADW of Churchill Downs Incorporated.

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Cox Prepares Colonel Bowman For Ellis Park Derby, Three Fillies For Groupie Doll

Meet-leading trainer Brad Cox has a barn well-stocked with 3-year-old stakes-winners, and Colonel Bowman will try to become the latest in Sunday's $200,000 RUNHAPPY Ellis Park Derby.

Colonel Bowman earned a shot at stakes company by taking an Ellis Park allowance race.

“He's trained very well up to the race,” said Jorge Abrego, who oversees Cox's Ellis Park operation. “It was his first time going two turns last time; he handled it very well. After the race, he came back good, breezed a couple of times really good. I'm very excited because it's a mile and an eighth. I think he'll run well. I like the horse. I'm not really scared of the competition. I think he has a big shot to win the race.”

Abrego, who was around Colonel Bowman all spring at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., says he's noticed a change.

“He gallops a mile and a half every day,” he said. “Second round, he gets stronger and stronger. I think the two turns for him is very good.”

Cox entered three horses in the $125,000 RUNHAPPY Groupie Doll for fillies and mares: stakes-winning and graded stakes-place Dreamalildreamofu, sprint specialist Lady Rocket, and Indiana Grand stakes-winner Matera, who needs a scratch to run. When it was suggested that he was going to be busy in the paddock saddling horses, Abrego quipped, “I hope it keeps me busy in the winner's circle!”

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