Bayerness Seeking First Stakes Win In Regret

OCEANPORT, NJ – Cherie Devaux is in no hurry to see Bayerness start on her second career as a broodmare, but the Kentucky-based trainer also knows there’s a business side to her sport to consider, so getting a stakes win for a filly who is already graded stakes-placed and cost $350,000 as a yearling would be a significant boost to her post-racing credentials.

A 4-year-old daughter of Bayern, Bayerness heads into Saturday’s 6-furlong feature at Monmouth Park, the $75,000 Regret Stakes, in search of that first stakes win after spending 5 of her first 8 career starts in graded stakes company, including last year’s Kentucky Oaks (G1).

“I’m very aware of what a stakes win would mean for her value as a broodmare,” said Devaux, who spent 8 years as an assistant to Chad Brown before going out on her own in 2018. “She is accomplished on the graded stakes level, so adding a stakes win to that would be really good for her value in her next career – not that we’re rushing her off to the breeding shed.”

After tackling graded stakes company in all 4 of her starts as a 3-year-old, Bayerness returned this year with a win in an optional $62,000 claimer in the slop at Churchill Downs on April 24. She followed that up by finishing third – again in the slop – in the Bed o’ Roses Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park on June 4.

“Last year because of COVID-19, things were different,” said DeVaux. “The schedules were not normal. She was third in 2 Grade 3 races and the Kentucky Oaks was just us taking a shot, to be honest, thinking if there was a year to try it and maybe hit the board, that was the year.

“After that, we gave her time off after she ran so hard in the Kentucky Oaks.”

Bayerness finished seventh but was placed sixth in the Oaks.

A winner of 3 of 8 career starts, with 3 thirds, Bayerness is 2 for 2 at the Regret distance. She has also shown she relishes an off track – something that may come into play if the forecast for rain holds true.

“She seems to be more effective sprinting, which is where we will probably keep her from now on,” said DeVaux.

For DeVaux, Saturday could mark an unusual sweep of the twin Regret Stakes she has entered horses in this year. Gam’s Mission captured the Regret Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs on May 29, giving the 39-year-old DeVaux the first graded stakes victory of her brief career.

“It was really exciting,” she said. “We had come really close a couple of times since I started on my own with a couple of seconds. We’ve had good showings in stakes races. But to win a graded stakes was really exciting for all of us, my team, because we’re fairly young in our business.

“We’re in our fourth year and to win a graded stakes at any point is exciting and an accomplishment.”

Saturday’s Regret will mark just the second time that DeVaux has started a horse at Monmouth Park. The Saratoga, NY native finished second with Our Super Freak in last year’s Molly Pitcher (G2).

She’smysunshine, Oceano Rosso, Bronx Beauty, Honey I’m Good, Sonar, and Alandra round out the field for the 62nd edition of the Regret. Bronx Beauty, trained by Anthony Margotta, has banked $645,070 in her career and is coming off a second-place finish in her 2021 debut in the Politely Stakes on May 30. She is 4 for 6 with 2 seconds at Monmouth Park.