Alliford Bay rested and ready

Saturday’s $50,000 Camilla Urso Stakes at Golden Gate Fields has been on the radar for some time for Alliford Bay and Cuyathy.

Billy Morey will saddle Cuyathy and Blaine Wright sends out Alliford Bay in the six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares, and both have been freshened with the Camilla Urso in mind.

“This is a race we’ve been targeting since the stakes schedule came out,” said Wright.

Alliford Bay won two stakes last year as a 3-year-old, including the California Governor’s Cup at Sacramento in her first race against older females. That race came after a seven-week layoff, and she hasn’t raced for more than three months coming into Saturday.

Alliford Bay has always run well fresh, having won her debut at Golden Gate at first asking one year ago, the California Governor’s Cup, and then finishing first before being disqualified for interference in her subsequent start, a Golden Gate allowance, three months later.

“I think horses that have speed usually run well fresh,” said Wright.

In her last start, Alliford Bay drew post 14 in the 1 1/16mile Miss America at Golden Gate Dec. 10 in her turf debut. She took the lead early and dueled through a fast pace, and tired in the lane to finish 11th.

“We were always going to freshen her up, and gave her a month at the farm after that,” said Wright. “The nice part is she didn’t get hurt in that race.”

Morey has given Cuyathy only two starts since August. She graduated at Golden Gate in 2016 and ran second in her other two local starts.

Cuyathy won her second allowance condition at Santa Anita in October and then ran third in her stakes debut in the Kalookan Queen at Santa Anita Jan. 18. Both races were at 6 1/2 furlongs on the main track.

“We’ve run into trouble finding races since winning her second condition,” said Morey. “She’s really run well at 6 1/2, and those are tough, demanding races where you have to run all-out the whole way.”

Cuyathy has worked steadily since her stakes try, including a pair of five-furlong works at Golden Gate.

“She’s really come around,” said Morey.