LOS ALAMITOS: KIM K, QUEEN BEE TO YOU AMONG 18 NOMINATED TO BAYAKOA STAKES

By Robert Mieszerski —-

CYPRESS, Calif. — Los Alamitos stakes winners Kim K and Queen Bee to You are among 18 fillies and mares nominated to the $100,000-guaranteed Bayakoa Stakes.

A Grade III at 1 1/16 miles, the Bayakoa will be run Sunday, Dec. 8.

The Bayakoa is the last of three graded races to be run during the opening weekend of the Winter Thoroughbred meet at Los Alamitos. Two-year-olds will be in the spotlight Saturday, Dec. 7 with the Grade I, $300,000 Starlet for fillies and the Grade II, $200,000 Los Alamitos Futurity. Both races are at 1 1/16 miles.

This will be the third time the Bayakoa will be run at Los Alamitos. It was won by the Bob Baffert-trained Tiz Midnight during the inaugural Winter Meet in 2014. Two years ago, Majestic Heat scored for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella.
Owned by Gary Hartunian’s Rockingham Ranch and trained by Peter Miller, Kim K, a 3-year-old daughter of Will Take Charge, earned the first win of her career in the Barretts Debutante during the 2018 Los Angeles County Fair meet.

A consistent 5-year-old daughter of Old Topper, Queen Bee to You has not been worse than third in six starts at Los Alamitos and defeated males in the Bertrando Stakes earlier this year.

Trained by Andrew Lerner for owners Christopher St. Hilaire and Adam Vali, Queen Bee to You earned her third win of 2019 Nov. 17, easily capturing the Betty Grable Stakes at Del Mar.

The other nominees include Arctic Roll, Carressa, a blowout winner Nov. 22, Catoca, Der Lu, Drift Away, Horologist, Tranquility Lake Stakes winner Lady Suebee, Mirth, a gate-to-wire winner of the Grade I Rodeo Drive on turf Sept. 28 at Santa Anita, Mongolian Humor, Mo See Cal, Sold It, Stirred, Trustini, Vibrance and Zusha.

Entries for the Bayakoa will be taken Thursday, Dec. 5.