HOLLYWOOD PARK : Urbane Returns in Bayakoa ‘Cap

Thirteen months ago, Urbane could have been claimed for $50,000 out of a six-furlong maiden race at Santa Anita. Owners Jan and Mace Siegel and their daughter, Samantha, would have turned a tidy profit, having bought the filly for $25,000 as a yearling in 1993.

But no rival trainers went to the claim box as Urbane made her debut with a seven-length victory, and now you couldn’t buy the chocolate-colored filly for 20 times the price. When Urbane runs Sunday at Hollywood Park in the $100,000 Bayakoa Handicap, she will be trying to add to a purse total of more than $500,000.

Because of a leg injury and an out-of-town campaign, Urbane hasn’t run at Hollywood since Serena’s Song, this year’s best 3-year-old filly, beat her by a nose in last November’s Hollywood Starlet. The Siegels thought enough of Urbane’s chances that day to supplement her into the race for $12,500.

Urbane has registered four victories, three seconds and one third in eight starts, and three of the losses came against Serena’s Song. Randy Bradshaw, who began training Urbane after the Siegels and Brian Mayberry split this summer, is looking forward to more Urbane-Serena’s Song matchups when they’re 4-year-olds.

“My filly will get better,” Bradshaw said. He has saddled Urbane only once, for an eight-length victory over Quite Proper at Laurel Park in last month’s Maryland Million Oaks, her first start in more than five months.

Urbane won under a hand ride from Corey Nakatani, who will have the mount again Sunday.

Among the other probables for the 1 1/16-mile Bayakoa is Twice The Vice, who at 120 pounds will be co-highweight with Urbane. Twice The Vice returned from a seven-month layoff to win the Flawlessly Stakes at Hollywood on Nov. 15.

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Horse Racing Notes

Earl Of Barking, who finished second to Fastness in Saturday’s Citation Handicap, is expected to run in the $500,000 Hollywood Turf Cup on Dec. 10. . . . Jenine Sahadi, who trains Fastness, won Wednesday’s feature with Daggett Peak, who had been winless in nine starts this year. Daggett Peak was ridden by Martin Pedroza, who had been winless at the meet. . . . Gary Stevens, who leads the Hollywood standings, having won almost one out of every three races he has ridden, will ride only on Saturday and Sunday the next two weeks.