Streamside attempts to repeat in Oak Tree Sprint

Speed will be on display on the final Oak Tree at Pleasanton card Sunday at the Alameda County Fair.

Two-year-olds will compete in the 5 1/2-furlong Everett Nevin, while eight 3-year-olds and up, including defending race winner Streamside, meet in the six-furlong Oak Tree Sprint. Both races have $50,000-added purses.

The Oak Tree Sprint field includes the 5-year-old Saint Prado, who won the Livermore Valley Wine Stakes here as a 3-year-old before going to the sidelines for nearly two years.

Trainer Jeff Bonde brought him back in a five-furlong, $20,000 claiming prep June 26, and he rallied to get the win.

He’ll be meeting tougher Sunday, including the multiple graded stakes winner Chips All In, who ran second in a $40,000 claiming sprint on turf at Santa Anita following a year on the sidelines. He’s come back with a bullet work since his last race.

Last year’s Oak Tree Sprint winner, Streamside, looms as the one to beat. He’s 2 for 2 over the track and won two straight this year before running second in the Albany on turf at Golden Gate Fields in his last start.

Five of the six runners in the Everett Nevin are coming off debut wins, while the sixth, Marqula, is making his debut. Smokey Image and Algenon both won their debuts over this track, while Known Defense won on dirt at Santa Anita.

The day’s first two races are six-furlong Arabian stakes: the $34,000 H.H. Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, featuring multiple graded stakes winner and defending race winner Ms Dixie, and the $47,000 Sheikh Zayaed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Arabian Cup, with multiple graded stakes winner Paddys Day.

:: Bet Oak Tree at Pleasanton with DRF Bets. Get up to a $500 cash bonus! Find out more today.

KEY CONTENDERS

EVERETT NEVIN (RACE 6)

Marqula

◗ This first-time starter is by Coast Guard, whose only other runner to start is a winner. His unraced dam has two winners from three starters, including her only starter at age 2.

◗ The colt is trained by Bonde, who loves to win in his hometown and likes to fire with his 2-year-olds.

◗ His works are strong, with a pair of five-furlong bullets.

Smokey Image (Beyer: 69)

◗ Smokey Image was very impressive in his debut here. Though he got off slowly and raced four wide, he moved into contention around the turn and pulled away from eight rivals in the lane in an impressive performance.

Known Defense (Beyer: 70)

◗ He was blazing-fast from the rail in his Santa Anita debut with quick fractions. He held on gamely to win by a nose. The concern is that he has just one work since his debut win, but he’s by a solid sire and is a half-brother to Made Up, who won nearly $300,000. Iggy Puglisi comes north to ride him again.

OAK TREE SPRINT (RACE 8)

Streamside (Last 3 Beyers: 83-98-85)

◗ Streamside is both fast and consistent. He’s won 12 of 26 lifetime starts and is 2 for 2 here. He dominated on the lead last year but is quite comfortable with a stalking trip.

◗ He ran second in the Albany on turf last time after an eight-week freshener. He should benefit from having that one under his belt, and he has a nice drill since his comeback.

Saint Prado (Last 3 Beyers: 86-68-87)

◗ Saint Prado was a mystery horse last time, running for a $20,000 claiming tag after 23 months on the sidelines. He won at five furlongs in a race that was a super prep. He’s also 2 for 2 on the main track here with a sprint stakes win as a 3-year-old. He’ll have to make up ground again in the lane.

Chips All In (Last 3 Beyers: 89-68-95)

◗ The graded stakes-winning Chips All In returned from a yearlong layoff in a $40,000 claimer but nonetheless finished second going down the hill at Santa Anita. He’s a stalker type who’ll be bugging Streamside from just inside him.