Seattle Smooth romps in Bay Meadows Oaks

Seattle Smooth recorded her first stakes victory, capturing the $75,000 Bay Meadows Oaks with a strong stretch run, pulling six lengths clear in the stretch of the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-old fillies.

"She doesn't have a quick turn of foot, but, once she gets moving, she gobbles up the ground pretty good," winning jockey Russell Baze said.

Christmas Ship was able to open a comfortable lead while setting easy fractions. She had a 1 1/2-length advantage over Naturally Perfect after running a 47.15-second opening half-mile.

Seattle Smooth, meanwhile, was sitting fifth, ahead of only Divine Legacy. She began moving up on the second turn, swung three wide, got first run on Divine Legacy in the stretch, then increased her margin with each stride. Seattle Smooth ran the 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.07 and paid $6.40.

Christmas Ship was an easy third, 1 1/4 lengths behind Divine Legacy and 10 lengths in front of Naturally Perfect.

Seattle Smooth, a daughter of Great American, was a $340,000 yearling purchase for Mercedes Stables LLC. She lost the California Oaks by a neck at Golden Gate Fields in her stakes debut on Feb. 2. She earned $45,000 for her second career victory and now has won $98,660.