Bayakoa Handicap

The Bayakoa Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, USA. In 2014 it was moved from the now closed Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California Once held annually in the first week of December at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California it is now run in February at Santa Anita.

The race is open to fillies and mares, aged four and up, willing to race one and one-sixteenth miles (8.5 furlongs) on Cushion Track synthetic dirt. A Grade II event, it currently offers a purse of $100,000.

Inaugurated in 1981 as the Silver Belles Handicap, it was raced at a distance of one and one-eighth miles (9 furlongs) through 1989 and at 8.5 furlongs since 1990. The race was renamed the Bayakoa Handicap in 1994 in honor of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Bayakoa.

On December 7, 1997, Sharp Cat won the Bayakoa Stakes in the first walkover in the history of Hollywood Park Racetrack.

Records

Speed record: (at current distance of 1¹/16 miles (8.5 furlongs)

• 1:40.38 - Briecat (2008)

Most wins:

• 2 - Manistique (1998, 1999)
• 2 - Starrer (2001, 2002)
• 2 - Star Parade (2003, 2005)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 5 - Chris McCarron (1985, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1996)
• 5 - Victor Espinoza (2003, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2014)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 5 - John Shirreffs (1998, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2009)

Most wins by an owner:

• 3 - George Krikorian (2001, 2002, 2004)

Winners

References

• The 2008 Bayakoa Handicap at the NTRA