Streaming Surges Clear for Starlet Surprise

Streaming went from maiden winner to grade I status when she put away Taste Like Candy in the stretch en route to an impressive victory in the $500,000 Starlet Stakes (gr. I). The race was held for the final time Dec. 7 at Betfair Hollywood Park .



Trained by Bob Baffert and ridden to victory by Martin Garcia, Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings and Edward McGhee's 2-year-old homebred improved to 2-for-2 in her career, stretching out from a six-furlong victory Nov. 15 to score by 1 1/2 lengths in her first try around two turns. Streaming, sent off at odds of nearly 11-1, was timed in 1:44.96 for 1 1/16 miles on Cushion Track.



Streaming is by Smart Strike   out of the Storm Cat mare Teeming, whose dam, 2007 Broodmare of the Year Better Than Honour, produced classic winners Jazil and Rags to Riches, in addition to $904,575 earner Casino Drive. Better Than Honour sold for a record $14 million for a broodmare or broodmare prospect when purchased from consignor Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency by Southern Equine Stables at the 2008 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November select mixed auction in Lexington.



Pacesetter Taste Like Candy held on for second, with Untapable third. Rosalind, the 8-5 choice in the field of eight 2-year-old fillies, finished fourth.

"I had her pretty fit for the first time I ran her," Baffert noted of Streaming's stalking debut win by 1 1/2 lengths at odds of 1-2. "We've really been high on this filly. It was too late to get a race into her to run her in the Breeders' Cup. I wasn't sure if I was going to run her in here because I didn't nominate her."



Hill 'n' Dale co-owner John Sikura paid a supplemental nomination fee of $10,000 and an additional $10,000 to start.



"Her last two works (at Santa Anita) showed she could really sit off a horse," Baffert said. "When I saw her up there at 14-1 (she closed at 10-1), I told John when you supplement, you're supposed to be 8-5. You're always hoping they'll run like they train and how they're bred. We've been lucky to win some Starlets and especially with this being the last one. She's really special. I think we saw something special today."



Baffert, a Hall of Fame conditioner, earned his third Starlet victory following Excellent Meeting in 1998 and Habibti in 2001. Garcia captured his first Starlet triumph.



The race included three fillies that ran in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) one month ago, including Rosalind (third), Untapable (eighth), and Concave (ninth).



Taste Like Candy, like the winner, was coming into the race off a maiden sprint win, which she took by 6 1/2 lengths Oct. 20 at Santa Anita Park. The Candy Ride   filly, second choice 5-2 odds, broke well for Rafael Bejarano to open up by a length early. But she was unable to shake Streaming on her outside while posting quarter mile fractions of :23.83, :47.85, and 1:12.82. Streaming, who bumped at the start, took control on the outside in upper stretch and extended her advantage in the final furlong under urging from Garcia to win as much the best.



"My filly was really sharp and I just let her break and was able to get a good position," Garcia said. "I held my position outside and when I asked her to go she gave me more. She was very impressive."



Taste Like Candy, trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, also ran well in her first try against winners to secure the runner-up spot by about one length over Untapable, who made a promising move from between horses on the turn for home but flattened out in the drive for Joe Talamo. The closer Rosalind picked up fourth money while no threat to the winner, finishing a nose behind Untapable.



"Well, I didn't expect to be on the lead, but my filly broke really sharp and when I saw that nobody wanted to go, I just went to the lead," Bejarano said. "It was a real strong pace rounding the first turn, but I tried to relax my filly. The winner was right behind me and chasing me and was always running real strong."



"Coming into the stretch I loved her chances, but then she kind of evened out," trainer Steve Asmussen said of Untapable. "That's just where she's at right now. It's a nice rebound from where she ran in the Breeders' Cup."



Streaming paid $23.60, $11, and $6.80, topping a $100,80 exacta with Taste Like Candy, who returned $4.60 and $3.60. Untapable paid $4.40.

Rosalind was followed by Arethusa, Bajan, Be Proud, and Concave.