Mufajaah guts out Bayakoa victory in likely swan song

Shadwell Stable's Mufajaah (Tapit) earned her first graded triumph in what

could be her last race when rallying for a neck victory in Sunday's $100,000

Bayakoa

S. (G3) at Oaklawn Park.

The four-year-old filly bided her time in last while Call Pat (Lawyer Ron)

set the opening splits of :23 3/5 and :47 3/5 while pressured the entire time by

Courageous Julie (Pioneerof the Nile), Gold Medal Dancer (Medaglia d'Oro), Pearl

Turn (Bernardini) and Bella Veloce (Zensational).

Gold Medal Dancer kicked into high gear nearing the turn, ranging up wide to

take command while followed by Pearl Turn. Those two separated themselves from

the other front runners, with Gold Medal Dancer going best of the two.

Jockey Emmanuel Esquivel had Mufajaah three wide down the backstretch and the

duo rallied even wider rounding the turn. They found themselves six wide exiting

the turn and commenced their run down the center of the track. Flashy American

(Flashy Bull) was just to Mufajaah's inside but her rival in royal blue was just

too good, reeling in Gold Medal Dancer and holding Flashy American to a neck on

the wire. It was another half-length back to Gold Medal Dancer and that same

margin separated third-place and fourth-placer Pearl Turn.