Nancy A. Vanier and Cartwright Thoroughbreds V LLC’s Streamline rallied from last in Saturday’s $150,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park to score a 1 1/4-length victory.
The Brian Williamson trainee was trying the Bayakoa for the third straight time, having finished a half-length second in 2016 and third in last year’s edition by 7 1/2 lengths. Streamline lined up here as the 3-1 third choice and broke well under jockey Gary Stevens, who took the mare back into last and angled her over to the inside.
Up front Defy set a quick pace through splits of :22.90 and :46.61 while chased by Sully’s Dream and Terra Promessa. That latter filly moved up to take command entering the final turn and had firm control in the lane.
Streamline, who saved all the ground on the backstretch, angled off the rail and swung widest of all rounding the bend. The six-year-old daughter of Straight Line ran down Terra Promessa in the stretch to take over and finish 1 1/16 miles over the sloppy, sealed track in 1:47.22.
It was another length behind Terra Promessa to Torrent, who had two lengths to spare on fourth-placer Sully’s Dream. Defy backed up to be a well-beaten fifth while 7-5 favorite Farrell proved her dislike for the slop once again and finished and eased last.
Streamline paid $8.40 for this win, which improved her career line to 21-8-3-9, $793,166. The dark bay mare has taken part in Oaklawn’s four-stakes series for distaffers since 2016, capturing that year’s Pippin Stakes and sandwiching a third in the Azeri Stakes (G2) between thirds in the Bayakoa and Apple Blossom Handicap (G1). Last season she was third in Pippin and Bayakoa before taking the Azeri and then filling the third spot yet again in the Apple Blossom.
Bred by co-owner Vanier in Illinois, Streamline opened this year with a third in the Pippin. In addition to that series, she’s also placed in the 2016 Falls City Handicap (G2) and last year’s La Troienne Stakes (G1), both at Churchill Downs.
The six-year-old is out of the stakes-winning Sahm mare Love Handles and comes from the same female line as Grade 1-winning millionaire Western Playboy.
BAYAKOA QUOTES
Gary Stevens, jockey Streamline, winner
“She was really touting me in the post parade. 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.”
Brian Williamson, trainer Streamline, winner
“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.”
Ricardo Santana Jr., jockey 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.”
Wayne Catalano, trainer Farrell, last of six
“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 (2017 Kentucky) Oaks ([G1] when she finished last of 14 over a sloppy, sealed track). She’s proven she doesn’t like this kind of track. She’s fine. (Jockey) Channing (Hill) took care of her.”
