Breeders' Cup Vault: 1989 Distaff

One was from Argentina, the other was from Kentucky. Both where trained in Southern California and both where G1 winners when the finally met up. Bayakoa and Gorgeous where two of the best fillies in the Country. In 1989 in the Breeders' Cup Distaff, they would finally meet. Bayakoa had come into the race off winning the Spinster, while Gorgeous who was a year and half younger then the Argentinain born Bayakoa had won the Hollywood Oaks before taking a few months off. However the field included the 1988 Derby winner and Distaff runner-up Winning Colors, 1988 Oaks winner Goodbye Halo, and 1988 BC Juvenile Fillies, as well as 1989 Triple Tiara winner Open Mind. It would be a tough race to win, but both horses showed the heart to win.

As the gates opened, Bayakoa was near the front of the pack with Gorgeous in the back off of the main pack. Midway on the backstretch Bayakoa goes for the lead and Gorgeous starts to make her move. At the top of the stretch Bayakoa is in the lead with Gorgeous making one final run at her with a bold move, but she ran out of time as Bayakoa had enough in the tank to win the 1989 Breeders' Cup Distaff. Gorgeous was second and Open Mind was third. While Bayakoa was able to win 1989 Older Female, Open Mind had done enough to win 3yo Filly honors even though Gorgeous had finished in front of her in the Distaff.

Here is the 1989 Distaff with a little bit of an interview with Gorgeous' trainer Neil Drysdale:



Gorgeous will get a bit of revenge on Bayakoa the next year as she won the Apple Blossom, overever Bayakoa would have the last laugh as she defeated Gorgeous again in the Spinster. That would be the last race for the daughter of Slew O Gold. She would go on to be the granddam of G1 winner Swift Temper. Gorgeous passed away in 2002 in Kentucky.

Bayakoa ran in the BC Distaff in 1990, successfully defending her crown. Unfortanlly the race was mared by the breakdown and subuquent euthanztion of another 3yo Champion, Go For Wand. Bayakoa ran three more three more times, finishing up track in each of those races. As a broodmare, the daughter of Consultants Bid had four foals and is the granddam of G1 winner Affluent. Bayakoa passed away of laminatis in 1997.

Tomorrow: A mother-son BC winning duo! I'm talking about Hollywood Wildcat and her son War Chant.