Go Google Yourself wins Bayakoa S. (G3) in thriller

Into Mischief’s Go Google Yourself kicked off 2020 with a dramatic win in the $200,000 Bayakoa S. (G3) on Presidents’ Day at Oaklawn Park, running down Whoa Nellie in the final strides to win by a neck.

The 5-year-old, who won the Locust Grove S. (G3) in 2019, has won or placed in six stakes and sports a record of 7-5-3 from 19 starts, with earnings of $639,625.

She is the eighth stakes winner already this year for Into Mischief, who had 23 all of 2019 as the leading General Sire in North America.

Go Google Yourself wasn’t assured of the win until just before hitting the wire in the 1 1/16-mile Bayakoa. Whoa Nellie, who took the lead in upper stretch, looked on her way to victory until Go Google Yourself’s final surge got her to the wire first. The final time was 1:43.65 on the fast track.

“I didn’t get confident until she made the lead, actually, right there at the wire,” said winning trainer Paul McGee. “She’s a game, hard-trying filly and always has been. The fact that we ran down that other filly [Whoa Nellie], I was really proud of her. Google, she’s just a classy, hard-trying filly. That’s all you can ask for.”

Pedigree Notes from the TDN

One of 27 graded winners for her outstanding sire, Go Google Yourself is a third-generation homebred for Samantha Siegel’s Jay Em Ess Stable. Out of Taunt, the winner’s second dam, the Louisiana-bred I Ain’t Bluffing, was purchased by the Siegels for $72,000 as a Keeneland November weanling in 1994 before going on to win the 1997 GI La Brea S. and the 1998 GI Milady Breeders’ Cup H. I Ain’t Bluffing went on to produce 2010 GI Black-Eyed Susan S. winner and GI Alabama S. third Acting Happy as well as the dam of GSW Together Indy and of SW & GSP Can’t Explain. Taunt’s last listed produce is Daddymademedoit (Temple City), runner-up in a Fair Grounds maiden special weight on the turf Jan. 9.