The Bayakoa (Grade 3)- $250.000 Purse
OP- For Fillies and Mares Four Years Old and Upward
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt
February 3, 2024

Last year, Matamata began her four-year-old season by winning the Bayakoa. She would go on to win Horse Of The Year. Now, back in the Bayakoa, this Falling Angel mare had the opportunity to begin her 2024 in the same way. Matamata would do exactly that, refusing to let the mud get in the way as she went on to win by a length. It will be hard for her to duplicate her season of last year, but after this we know that she is going to give it her best shot. Smokey Stover is her proud trainer, and the win is his third in this race. His other winner was Z Command in 2020. D Cabrera, who was not the jockey in 2023, got the job done in the saddle this time around for his first win in the stake. Congratulations to them! The time of victory in the mud was 1:45.28. Let’s take a look at it!

(1/4 Mile- :23.38)- From the outside, Swiss Chocolate goes out to the race lead for Riggins Racing, and she is able to get over to the rail. It’s tight for second in the early going, with Panionios Racing’s Chica Lugo running evenly with the race’s eventual winner from Smokey Stover, Matamata. In between them, and within half a length is Riggins Racing’s Up She Flew and both Karloffs Monster (TwinTowersRacing) and Alice Springs (London Racing) are nearby to them. After a length and a half, we have the next group of horses which sees Celine (D J C Racing) Stables being half a length ahead of Long Term Parking (TwinTowersRacing) and Golden Angel (Rock Creek). Niagra Keys (Alydar Stables) is a length behind them and it’s another to the trailer, Shining At Knight (Our Athletes).

(½ Mile- :47.86)- Rounding the opening turn and into the backstretch, Swiss Chocolate leads the way but has Chica Lugo moving up to be alongside her. Up She Flew has moved into the third position and runs right between these two while Matamata holds fourth. For now, she is committed to the rail, and does not have the same room that Up She Flew had at this moment. Karloffs Monster serves as her shadow here, and we still have a gap to the rest of the field. Alice Springs leads this group by a length on Celine, with Long Term Parking and Golden Angel still running on each side of that one.

(Top of Stretch, 1.8F To Go)- Prior to entering the final turn, Chica Lugo temporarily takes over the top spot as Swiss Chocolate begins to get a little leg weary. As that happens early in the term, D Cabrera realizes that he must move Matamata off the rail now and does exactly that. Midway through the turn, Up She Flew takes the lead on Chica Lugo but these two still battle it out moving into the stretch. Matamata is positioned well to strike right between them. Swiss Chocolate is fourth and Karloffs Monster moves wide during the turn. The gap to the rest of the field has significantly widened at this point to being around four lengths. For now, Long Term Parking and Celine are the best of the rest.

(Finish- 1:45.28)- Neither Chica Lugo or Up She Flew were going to make it easy for Matamata, but the reigning horse of the year was more than happy to take on this fight. Looking to come through these leaders, she made gradual progress before poking a head in front with half a furlong to go. She would stay with it all the way to the wire and grabs the win by nearly a length. In a very tight photo for place, Up She Flew completes the exacta over Chica Lugo. Good run from both of them, especially the latter since she drew in off the also eligible list. Karloffs Monster was two lengths behind them, but still gets the fourth-place check. Shining At Knight came on to be fifth, topping Niagra Keys, Swiss Chocolate, Long Term Parking, Celine, Alice Springs, and Golden Angel.

About the Winner- Matamata, trained by Smokey Stover and ridden to victory by D Cabrera, is a five-year-old mare by Falling Angel and is out of Arrowtown. She was bred in California by Smokey Stover as a first quarter two-year-old and they have been together throughout. Congratulations to the connections! The win is her thirteenth in 26 starts, her tenth stake win and eighth graded win. Her career earnings are now $3,086.230.

Track: Muddy
Scratched: American Sky, Ignore Tucker

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES