OAKLAWN LOVING STREAMLINE WINS BAYAKOA STAKES

By Jennifer Hoyt —-

Streamline: All Photos provided by Oaklawn

HOT SPRINGS, AR (Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018) – Nancy A. Vanier and Cartwright Thoroughbreds LLC.’s Streamline, never worse the third in nine previous Oaklawn races, reaffirmed her affinity for the Oaklawn oval with a come from behind victory in Saturday’s $150,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3).

With Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens in the irons, Streamline raced in last place among the six-horse field as Defy grabbed the early lead through fractions of :22.90 and :4661 for the first half-mile. Last year’s Bayakoa winner Terra Promessa gained control before six furlongs in 1:12.82 after tracking the early pace, but had to settle for second as the winner came four-wide into the stretch, grabbed the lead and drew off to win by 1 ¼ lengths in 1:47.22 over a sloppy track.

Recent allowance winner Torrent was third. She was followed by Sully’s Dream, Defy and $1.40-to-1 favorite Farrell.

“She was really touting me in the post parade,” Stevens said “I mean, she was on her game today. She had a race underneath her. (Trainer) Brian (Williamson) seemed quietly confident in the paddock. She was making me confident. Then, my hand was kind of forced on me. I had planned to attack Farrell early on and she broke sharp, but Farrell kind of got shuffled back in my face. My mare settled for me and was just dragging me around there. I actually made the lead about an eighth of a mile too early with her, though. She fought it out. But, she’s got more in the tank, believe me. She is just an old pro, a pleasure to ride and a lot of fun.”

Steamline, a 6-year-old homebred Straight Line mare, improved her overall record to 21-8-3-9 and has now earned $793,166. The 2017 Azeri and 2016 Pippin Stakes winner now has a 10-3-2-5 record at Oaklawn. She returned $8.40, $3.80 and $2.60 at odds of 3-1.

Racing resumes Sunday with a 1:30 p.m. first post for the nine-race card highlighted by the $54,000 Progressive Cash Giveaway. Oaklawn will begin by giving away $2,000 after the first race on through the ninth race when a $10,000 Grand Prize will be awarded.

Also, there will be a special Presidents’ Day card Monday featuring the $500,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) for Kentucky Derby hopefuls and the $500,000 Razorback Handicap (G3), which launched the Horse of the Year campaign of Gun Runner. Oaklawn will be honoring the 2017 Razorback winner with a free commemorative poster while supplies last. Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen will be signing the posters from 12:15 to 12:45 p.m. for a $5 donation to Second Stride, a Kentucky-based Thoroughbred aftercare program.

Stakes Quotes:

Winning rider Gary Stevens, Streamline: “She was really touting me in the post parade,” Stevens said. “I mean, she was on her game today. She had a race underneath her. (Trainer) Brian (Williamson) seemed quietly confident in the paddock. She was making me confident. Then, my hand was kind of forced on me. I had planned to attack Farrell early on and she broke sharp, but Farrell kind of got shuffled back in my face. My mare settled for me and was just dragging me around there. I actually made the lead about an eighth of a mile too early with her, though. She fought it out. But, she’s got more in the tank, believe me. She is just an old pro, a pleasure to ride and a lot of fun.”

Winning trainer Brian Williamson, Streamline: “She’s really super easy going (around the barn), but then when she trains, when you turn her around to gallop, she’s like game. When a horse comes by her, she tries to go with them. She’s just competitive like that.”

Jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. (Terra Promessa, second): “She ran good, she is coming from a lay off you know. She ran really good today. She is going to be really tough in the next race. She was a little tired.”

On his three-win day – “You know I thank God that the horses are running good today. It’s all about the horses and the trainers. I thank the trainers for giving me a lot of really good chances and the horses for running good.”

Trainer Wayne Catalano (Farrell, beaten favorite) – “She’s won on a wet fast track. She was training good on it all week and I thought she would handle it. But, today was just like the (Kentucky) Oaks. She’s proven she doesn’t like this kind of track. She’s fine. Channing took care of her.”