Oaklawn Barn Notes: Streamline Works toward Apple Blossom

By Jennifer Hoyt —-

Streamline Works toward Apple Blossom

Streamline moved closer to a scheduled start in the $600,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) for older fillies and mares April 14 at Oaklawn by working 5 furlongs Tuesday morning for trainer Brian Williamson.

Streamline went in 1:01.60 over a fast track, the 5-year-old’s first breeze since winning the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) March 18, the final major local prep for the Apple Blossom at 1 1/16 miles.

“So far, so good,” Williamson said Thursday morning. “Right on course.”

Streamline, bred and co-owned by Williamson’s mother-in-law, Nancy Vanier, finished second in last year’s Apple Blossom.

This year’s event is expected to be headed by Southern California-based Stellar Wind, the country’s champion 3-year-old filly of 2015 and unraced since a troubled fourth in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) Nov. 4 at Santa Anita. Trained by John Sadler, the 5-year-old mare worked 7 furlongs in 1:27 Friday at Santa Anita. Sadler won the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) in 2010 at Oaklawn with Line of David.

Other locally based horses pointing for the Apple Blossom include Tiger Moth and Terra Promessa, third and fifth, respectively, in the Azeri.

Four-time defending Oaklawn riding champion Ricardo Santana Jr. is scheduled to ride Tiger Moth for the first time in the Apple Blossom, and New York-based Jose Ortiz will be reunited with Terra Promessa. Ortiz, a finalist last year for an Eclipse Award as the country’s most outstanding jockey, guided Terra Promessa to a front-running 2 ¼-length victory in the $125,000 Pippin Stakes Jan. 14.

Terra Promessa was 5 for 5 in her career at Oaklawn, including four stakes, before finishing a troubled fifth in the Azeri. She is trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, who saddled champion Untapable to a victory in the 2015 Apple Blossom.

Post positions for the Apple Blossom will be drawn Tuesday. The April 14 card will also feature the $400,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies.

Ivan Fallunovalot to Miss Count Fleet

Multiple stakes-winning sprinter Ivan Fallunovalot will miss the $400,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) for older horses April 15 at Oaklawn because of an ankle injury, trainer Tom Howard of Hot Springs said Thursday morning.

Howard said the 7-year-old gelding’s left rear ankle was “blown up” after training Wednesday morning and an ultra-sound examination Wednesday afternoon revealed “a little soft-tissue damage.”

Howard said the initial thought is the injury isn’t career threatening.

“It’s just a matter of time,” Howard said. “How much is undetermined at this time, but he should be back for Oaklawn next year.”

On behalf of Lewis Mathews of nearby Bismarck, Ark., Howard claimed Ivan Fallunovalot, a Texas-bred son of Valid Expectations, for $25,000 at the 2014 Oaklawn meeting.

Under Howard’s care, Ivan Fallunovalot developed into a multiple stakes winner – the gelding won Oaklawn’s $100,000 King Cotton in 2015 and 2016 – ran in the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) and was named 2015 Texas Horse of the Year by the Texas Thoroughbred Association, the state’s breed registry.

Overall, Ivan Fallunovalot has a 15-4-1 record from 26 starts and career earnings of $832,058.

Ivan Fallunovalot ran second in the 2015 Count Fleet, but missed last year’s running because of a quarter-crack.

In his only two starts this year, Ivan Fallunovalot ran fourth in the $125,000 King Cotton Feb. 4 and second in the $125,000 Hot Springs Stakes March 11.

Ivan Fallunovalot had been scheduled to work Thursday morning in preparation for the 6-furlong Count Fleet, Howard said.

Silver Ending?

After an entry-level allowance/optional claimer didn’t fill last week, Calumet Farm’s Silver Bullion will make his next start in the $150,000 Bachelor Stakes for 3-year-old sprinters April 13, Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Thursday morning.

Ramon Vazquez will ride Silver Bullion in the 6-furlong Bachelor, which is excepted to feature Rockshaw, powerful winner of the $125,000 Gazebo Stakes March 4.

Silver Bullion will be cutting back to a sprint after finishing second in a first-level allowance/optional claimer Feb. 18 and 11th in the $900,000 Rebel Stakes (G2) March 18. Both races were 1 1/16 miles.

“It’s not ideal, but he’s here,” Lukas said of the Bachelor.

Silver Bullion broke his maiden sprinting Feb. 9.

Lukas also said Thursday morning that Dilettante is no longer under consideration for the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 15 and could resurface at Keeneland.

Dilettante, who is also campaigned by Calumet, broke his maiden Jan. 29 at Oaklawn before running fifth in the track’s $500,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 20 and sixth in the $800,000 Sunland Derby (G3) March 26 at Sunland Park.

Finish Lines

The track was rated fast for workouts Thursday morning. … Unbeaten late Triple Crown nominee Rapid Dial (2 for 2 at the meeting) worked a half-mile in :49.80 after the renovation break Thursday morning for co-owner/trainer Ingrid Mason, who said the son of Dialed In is under consideration for the $150,000 Northern Spur Stakes at 1 1/16 miles April 15 at Oaklawn, $250,000 Illinois Derby (G3) at 1 1/8 miles April 22 at Hawthorne and the $250,000 Pat Day Mile (G3) May 6 at Churchill Downs. Rapid Dial has never run in a stake or farther than 6 furlongs. … Unbeaten Arkansas-bred Five O One could be wheeled back in a second-level state-bred allowance/optional claiming sprint Wednesday, trainer Brad Cox said. Five O One captured Friday’s $100,000 Rainbow for 3-year-old Arkansas-bred colts and geldings, giving owner Staton Flurry of Hot Springs his first Oaklawn stakes victory. … Cox said the Flurry-owned Wabel, a March 23 allowance/optional claiming winner sprinting, could make his next start in an allowance race at Churchill Downs or the $500,000 Churchill Downs (G2) May 6. Wabel ran the second-fastest 6 furlongs of the 2016 Oaklawn meeting (1:09.03) and won last month’s race in 1:10.06. … Suddenbreakingnews, winner of the $500,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) last year at Oaklawn, posted a 5-furlong bullet workout (:59.80) just after the track opened Thursday morning for trainer Donnie K. Von Hemel. Regarding the gelding’s next start, Von Hemel said last week that Suddenbreakingnews will “probably run in Kentucky on the turf somewhere.”

Cover Photo: Streamline; Oaklawn File Photo