Hope Road © Benoit Photo

Hope Road dominated in defending her title in the Grade III $100,000 Bayakoa Stakes. With Simply Joking and Flavien Prat making the early lead, last year’s Bayakoa winner Hope Road (2-5) and Juan Hernandez sat chilly tracking in second about a length off the pace setter. Turning for home, Hope Road switched leads and, under a hand ride from Hernandez, pulled away to win by a widening six and a half lengths.  

“She is really good out of the gate. She broke running, when I asked her to go, she listened. She relaxed very good. Bob (Baffert) was working on her to relax. He did a really good job, and you know, all the credit goes to the filly, because she relaxed and was tracking the horse in front of me just waiting for me to shake the reins. We had a great trip.” said Hernandez.

Simply Joking (4-1) and Hope Road had put a three-length lead on the field of eight up the backstretch, but could not keep up with the winner passing the eighth pole and maintained second by two and three quarters over Mahina (28-1). Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, Mahina who maintained her position second to last, angled out turning for home and was able to hold off a late charging bid from Jane Austin to get the show by a nose.

Conditioned by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, Hope Road came into the Bayakoa off a third place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on November 1 at Del Mar. A homebred for Cicero Farms LLC, the four year old Quality Road filly has improved her record to 14-6-4-2 and with the winners share of $60,000 has pushed her earnings to $1,016,620.  

Hope Road returned $2.80, $2.10, and $2.10 to her backers. Trained by Michael McCarthy, Simply Joking paid, $3.20, and $2.80. Mahina, trained by Paddy Gallagher returned $5.00 to show.

Fractions on the race were 23.15, 47.32, 1:11.46, 1:23.61 for final time of 1:36.38.

JUAN HERNANDEZ (Hope Road, Winner) – “She is really good out of the gate. She broke running, when I asked her to go, she listened. She relaxed very good. Bob (Baffert) was working on her to relax. He did a really good job, and you know, all the credit goes to the filly, because she relaxed and was tracking the horse in front of me just waiting for me to shake the reins. We had a great trip.”

JIMMY BARNES (Hope Road, Winner) – “She had already gone two turns before and she handled the two turns again. I think it depends on the level of the competition. Maybe it’s Del Mar she likes. She ran just how we expected her to run.”