After the Auction: Streaming

Streaming
Photo by Mary Cage

As an avid fan of sales with possible aspirations to become an adviser/bloodstock agent, auctions are one of my favorite topics to write about on Past the Grandstand. “After the Auctions” feature horses I selected in sales that have found success after the sale. 

UPDATE 12/7/13: Congratulations to Streaming on becoming my
second grade one-winning sale selection with her victory in the Hollywood Starlet (GI)!
UPDATE 2/1/13: Congratulations to Streaming on her second-place finish in the Las Virgenes Stakes (GI)!

Although declared out of the 2012 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Streaming remained on my watch list, as she was one of the horses I selected from the first session of the world’s largest yearling auction. She remained with her breeders, Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings and Edward McGhee, and was placed in the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert in Southern California.

I was fortunate enough to watch Streaming train one morning at Santa Anita while visiting for the Breeders’ Cup. The filly displayed impressive muscularity and composure for a two-year-old, galloping about the track in an easy manner.

Twelve days later, Streaming made her racing debut at Hollywood Park, facing nine others in a six-furlong maiden special weight over the all-weather track. Sent off as the heavy favorite that only included three fillies with racing experience, Streaming tracked the pace while racing a few paths off the rail. As a quick pace was set, Streaming remained a handful of lengths off the leader as the field continued down the backstretch.

Given room to run, Streaming was guided to the outside of the pacesetters around the far turn, racing very wide as the field swung into the homestretch. Traveling so far to the outside cost Streaming ground at the top of the lane, but once she changed leads, she regained her momentum, growing even with the second choice – Abide in Me – outside the eighth pole. Digging in gamely, Streaming kicked clear, drawing away to score by 1 ½ lengths.

Pedigree Analysis

Streaming is as royally bred as they come. A daughter of two-time leading sire Smart Strike, Streaming is out of a daughter of Storm Cat and the great broodmare Better than Honour. Some of the most legendary sires and dams in Thoroughbred breeding lace just the first five generations of her pedigree alone, including Mr. Prospector, Deputy Minister, Native Dancer, Blushing Groom, Classy ‘N Smart, Terlingua, and Geisha.

As a daughter of Canadian Hall of Famer Smart Strike, Streaming shares her sire with the champions Curlin, English Channel, Lookin At Lucky, My Miss Aurelia, and Soaring Free. Smart Strike is a son of Mr. Prospector, one of the most influential stallions to ever live. The Mr. Prospector sire line has produced an astounding number of champions, including six Horse of the Year honorees in the United States.

Streaming is a daughter of Teeming, who is also the dam of the stakes-winning Cascading and the stakes-placed Distracting. Teeming is a daughter of the Reine de Course broodmare Better than Honour, who was named 2007 Broodmare of the Year. This makes Teeming a half-sister to the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winners Jazil and Rags to Riches, as well as Breeders’ Cup Marathon victor Man of Iron and the graded stakes-winning February Stakes (gr. I) runner-up Casino Drive.

Streaming’s broodmare sire is the legendary stallion Storm Cat. Not only was Storm Cat an outstanding sire of racehorses and sires, but he has also proven to be a terrific sire of broodmares, as he is the damsire of many brilliant horses, including the champions Folklore and Speightstown, as well as a multitude of grade one winners, such as Dialed In, Sky Mesa, and Sidney’s Candy.

Streaming could become something special. Having made quite the early impression in pedigree, appearance, and racing performance, Streaming holds plentiful promise. Could she become my next sale selection to win a grade one?