How to bet the 2023 Bayakoa Stakes at Los Alamitos

A talented field of seven fillies and mares will travel 1 1/16 miles on the Los Alamitos dirt in Friday’s $100,000 Bayakoa S. (G3). #1 Midnight Memories (2-1), one of two in the field for conditioner Bob Baffert, was a dominant victress of the Zenyatta S. (G2) in her lone try at the distance and I expect her to make it two-for-two following this affair. 

Bayakoa Wagers

• $35 win #1 Midnight Memories ($35)
  $12 trifecta key 1 with 5,7 ($24)

The Pegram, Watson, and Weitman homebred will make her first run since March but has trained well in preparation for this one, and the daughter of Mastery has a lot of room for improvement in her with just seven starts to her credit in her lifetime. This dual graded stakes queen can run from up close or from off the early pace, and leading local pilot Juan Hernandez will guide the attractive lass. 

Conditioner Phil D’Amato has a pair of contenders in the cast and I think that both will have a chance for sure with a top showing. #5 Turnerloose (5-1) is just one-for-four on the main surface in her lifetime and has raced on the lawn in five straight, but the four-year-old has proven to be a solid runner on both ovals in her lifetime. This daughter of Nyquist has early speed but can also rally from off of the early tempo, and the surface change on this occasion could wake her up at a fair price. Edwin Maldonado will take the reins aboard the Kentucky bred. 

Morning-line choice #7 Desert Dawn (6-5) was beaten by less than two lengths while fifth in the recent Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) at Santa Anita. The Cupid filly has failed to win in 10 straight, but she has been placed in some difficult fields with some impossible pace scenarios to deal with, and things could fall into place on Friday for the four-year-old. Hector Berrios will pilot the Arizona bred and have her in the middle of the pack in the early stages of the event.