Great Lady M Stakes
CLIMBING THE LADDER CAL-BRED FILLY KEEPS MAKING GOOD GRADES
BY TRACY GANTZ
W
ith the $201,000 Great Lady M Stakes (G2) safely in her pocket, Becca Taylor has only one more step to go in her conditions—a grade 1 stakes. Perhaps the only reason she hasn’t gotten that yet is that owner/breeder Nick Alexander and trainer Steve Miyadi have brought her up the ladder steadily.
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Each time Becca Taylor has come through for them. It helps that Becca Taylor is also about as versatile as a horse could be. Cal-bred Becca Taylor adds Los Alamitos’ grade 2 Great Lady M to her stakes accomplishments She broke her maiden on dirt at Los Alamitos and switched to turf at Santa Becca Taylor, the 7-10 favorite, faced six from Brandon’smylawyer in the turn, Elm Anita for her second condition. Alexander rivals. Even taking turns, they couldn’t de- Drive and Samurai Charm challenged and Miyadi were able to take advantage feat her. First Brandon’smylawyer, break- her. Tey sandwiched Becca Taylor, Elm of the California-bred rule allowing a Cal- ing inside of Becca Taylor, vied with her Drive on the outside and Samurai Charm bred to run back at the same condition on on the front end. Becca Taylor and jockey on the rail. the opposite surface, and she won again Juan Hernandez broke ffth and quickly Becca Taylor refused to quit. After a on dirt. Te Tapeta surface at Golden moved into the lead, recording the frst half-mile in :44.61, she turned back Elm quarter-mile in :21.68. Gate Fields didn’t faze her either. Drive and Samurai Charm, scoring by two “It’s funny,” said Miyadi. “Her form lengths and completing the distance in Te Golden State Series gave Becca Taylor her frst stakes wins: the 2021 doesn’t look like she is real speed, but she 1:15.25. Samurai Charm fnished second, Evening Jewel Stakes and 2022 Spring is. One day she is going to break running 11⁄4 lengths ahead of Elm Drive, who had six lengths on fourth-place Cover Version. Fever Stakes. But the series also featured and wow everyone—I hope.” Unlike most of Alexander’s other homeOnce Becca Taylor began to pull away her only loss, when Eddie’s New Dream breds, Becca Taylor is by Old Topcaught her by a nose in the 2022 per, rather than Grazen. California Irish O’Brien Stakes down Santa lost Old Topper a year ago, when he Anita’s hillside turf course. died at age 26. Te stallion stood his “Tat nose is going to haunt me entire career at Tom and Debi Stull’s for the rest of my life,” said Miyadi. Tommy Town Toroughbreds and Te loss was an anomaly, as Bechad been pensioned in 2019, with ca Taylor proved by stepping up to 4-year-old Becca Taylor one of his graded company. She hasn’t lost in last runners. two graded attempts, frst in the Alexander bred Becca Taylor out $98,000 Desert Stormer Stakes of the winning General Meeting (G3) at Santa Anita June 4 and then mare Lady Sax whom the late trainer in the July 4 Great Lady M at Los Mike Mitchell claimed for AlexanAlamitos. Trainer Steve Miyadi, third right, and jockey Juan der for $32,000. In the 61⁄2-furlong Great Lady M, Hernandez lead Becca Taylor’s winner’s circle celebration 26
CALIFORNIA THOROUGHBRED ❙ August 2022 ❙ www.ctba.com
