Photo: Oaklawn Park
Pippin Stakes winner Don’t Tell Sophia extended her win streak to three
with another equally impressive performance in Saturday’s $100,000
Bayakoa Stakes before an on-track crowd of 21,291.
Breaking from the rail under leading rider Robby Albarado, Don’t Tell
Sophia was unhurried early and settled into fourth place as Minesave
led the field through fractions of 24 and 48 1/5 for the first half
mile. The winner began her move entering the far turn and by the time
the field had entered the stretch, she was well clear of her four other
rivals, drawing off to win by 6 ½ lengths in a final time of 1:44. She’s
All In made up ground late to get second by three-quarters of a length
over the 6-5 favorite Tiz Miz Sue. Minesave and Bahama Bound completed
the order of finish.
“She’s a monster right now,” said trainer Phil Sims. “Having a race
over the track didn’t hurt. It was a definite advantage. She’s such a
big filly. She always just kind of falls out of the gate. I just told
Robby to not get in trouble in the small field. She really just loves
this track. The Azeri (Stakes (G3) March 16) is a definite.”
Don’t Tell Sophia, a 5-year-old Congaree mare who races for her
trainer and Jerry Namy, won for the sixth time in 12 starts and has now
earned $243,606. She returned $5, $3.20 and $2.10 as the 6-5 second
choice.
It was a disappointing day for jockey Calvin Borel and trainer Steve
Hobby, who each lost their two respective races on the card. Borel, who
was riding for the first time since breaking his wrist in January,
remains one win shy of reaching his 5,000th win milestone,
while Hobby, the trainer of Tiz Miz Sue, is two wins away from 1,000
career victories. Borel has no mounts on Sunday and three Monday. Hobby
will saddle one horse in the last race Sunday and two on Monday,
including Big Lute in the $300,000 Southwest Stakes (G3).