Belladonna Racing’s Bayerness got a ground-saving trip under meet-leading rider Luis Saez before finding room between horses at the top of the stretch and running down pacesetter Aunt Kat to capture Wednesday’s $120,000 Shine Again at Saratoga Race Course by one length.
The ninth running of the seven-furlong Shine Again, for older fillies and mares who have not won a stakes other than state-bred in 2021, was the second of two stakes on the 10-race program, following Sport Model’s come-from-behind victory in the $150,000 New York Stallion Stakes Series Statue of Liberty in Race 5.
Trained by Cherie DeVaux, it marked the first stakes win in nine career starts for Bayerness after placing four times, including three in graded company. The 4-year-old Bayern filly, bred in Kentucky by Machmer Hall, completed the distance in 1:22.80 over a fast main track and returned $9.10 for a $2 win bet as the third betting choice at 7-2 in a field of six.
Breaking from the rail, Saez settled Bayerness in fourth as 4-5 favorite Aunt Kat, a front-running winner of three straight by 17 ¾ lengths, went straight to the lead as expected and held it through an opening quarter-mile in 23.15 seconds and a half in 46.24 with Bronx Beauty, an eight-time stakes winner with more than $650,000 in purse earnings, giving chase.
Saez still had a hold on Bayerness as the field straightened for home, and when jockey Junior Alvarado dropped Aunt Kat to the rail for the stretch drive, Saez tipped out to the two path and found room inside an onrushing Casual, making a bid on the far outside. Bayerness came with a steady run and overcame Aunt Kat inside the sixteenth pole before drawing away.
“That was the plan. I rode her before, so I know her pretty well. That’s the style she likes to run. She likes to be covered up. In the stretch, I just had to find a way to keep going and she gave me a nice kick,” Saez said.
“I was a little patient waiting for room. I know the horse on the lead was going to put me there, so I followed her. When the time came, we came out and she won the race,” he added. “It was pretty exciting.”
Aunt Kat held second by a nose over Casual, with 13-1 long shot Whispering Pines another 2 ¾ lengths back in fourth. Honor Way and Bronx Beauty completed the order of finish.
Out of the Pure Prize mare Weight No More, Bayerness came into the Shine Again off a neck loss as the favorite in the six-furlong Regret on July 3 at Monmouth Park. She won an optional claimer April 24 at Churchill Downs to open her 2021 campaign, then ran third by two lengths to Estilo Talentoso in the Grade 3 Bed o’ Roses June 4 at Belmont Park, also at seven furlongs. All three races came over off tracks.
Bayerness won her only two starts at 2 before stepping up to graded-stakes competition as a 3-year-old. She ran seventh in the Grade 2 Davona Dale, then was third in the Grade 3 Dogwood and Grade 3 Indiana Oaks before being placed sixth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, her final start of 2020.
“At 2 and 3 it was very hard to keep her condition. She had a tendency to be light. She had some problems with ulcers,” DeVaux said. “At the end of her campaign last year, we just turned her out with Barry Eisaman for 90 days. He did a great job with her. We’ve been fortunate that she bounces back in her races and keeps a great attitude.”
DeVaux said the Grade 1, $500,000 Ketel One Ballerina August 28 on the undercard of the 152nd Grade 1, $1 million Runhappy Travers could be the next stop for Bayerness.
“It’s definitely on the table, but it will depend on how well she comes out of this race,” she said. “Physically, from the Regret to this race, it was a quick turnaround for her, but she handled it wonderfully. We’ll just have to let her tell us the next step.”
The Shine Again is named for the Maryland-bred winner of the Grade 1 Ballerina at Saratoga in 2001 and 2002 for late Hall of Fame trainer Allen Jerkens. Other graded wins came in the Grade 2 First Flight Handicap in 2001 and 2002 and Grade 2 Genuine Risk in 2003. She retired with 14 wins and $1.27 million in purse earnings from 34 lifetime starts.
Thursday will feature a 10-race card at Saratoga headlined by the $120,000 Birdstone for 4-year-olds and up going a marathon 1 3/4 miles on the main track in Race 9 at 5:39 p.m. Eastern. First post is 1:05 p.m.
NYRA Press Release
Photo: Bayerness ( Chelsea Durand Photo)
