In the course of her career, Bayakoa won 13 Grade I stakes races including back-to-back renewals of the Breeders' Cup Distaff.
She was the American Champion Older Female Horse of both 1989 and 1990 and was subsequently inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.
Bayakoa was a bay mare bred by Haras Principal in Argentina though many of her ancestors were from the United States.
Her sire Consultant's Bid, exported to Argentina in 1982,[2] was an American-bred son of champion Bold Bidder.
Her dam Arlucea was a stakes winner in Argentina whose sire Good Manners was an American-bred son of champion Nashua.
She followed this with an allowance race win on June 21, then finished off her two-year-old campaign with another loss in the Argentine 1000 Guineas (ARG-I).
On November 1, she won the prestigious Gran Premio Palermo (ARG-I) by twelve lengths, but had to be vanned off after the race because of heat prostration.
[6] The win caught the eye of Ron McAnally, who purchased the filly for the Whitham's and imported her into the United States.
[6] Now ridden by Laffit Pincay Jr., Bayakoa won her first start of 1989, an allowance race at Santa Anita on January 5, by 12 lengths over a sloppy track.
Stepping up to the Grade II Santa Maria Handicap on January 28, she broke through the starting gate and led for the first mile but was caught in the final strides to finish second.
[7] Bayakoa followed in the Spinster Stakes at Keeneland in Kentucky on October 15, winning by 11+1⁄2 lengths, the largest margin of victory in the history of the race.
[8] Bayakoa was the 7-10 favorite in the Breeders' Cup Distaff, held at Gulfstream Park in Florida on November 4.
Instead, Bayakoa settled in second place, then took command rounding the far turn and won by 1+1⁄2 lengths over Gorgeous with Open Mind a distant third.
[10] Bayakoa started 1990 in the Santa Maria Handicap on February 4, winning by 3+1⁄2 lengths over Nikishka, who was carrying 9 pounds less weight.
Returning to the distaff division in the Apple Blossom Handicap, she led for most of the race but was caught near the wire by Gorgeous, who was carrying four pounds less weight.
"[13] In the Chula Vista Handicap on September 1, Bayakoa battled for almost the entire race with Fantastic Look, to whom she was conceding 14 pounds.
After they came off of the final turn and entered the last furlong, Go For Wand's leg shattered near the spot on the track where Ruffian is buried.
"[16] In the 1990 Eclipse Award voting, Bayakoa was again honored as the American champion older female horse.