Streamside uncatchable in Oak Tree Sprint

Trainer Sergio Ledezma and the 5-year-old E Dubai gelding Streamside ($11.40) both recorded their first stakes victory Friday when Streamside scored a front-running victory in the $75,560 Oak Tree Sprint Stakes at the Oak Tree at Pleasanton meeting.

Streamside broke alertly from the rail, taking control of the race immediately, and proved uncatchable late. He outran Ain’t No Other and the favored Moonshine Bay through a 22.56-second opening quarter, opening a half-length lead. He then ran a second quarter in 22.19 seconds, building the lead to one length, as Ain’t No Other began to wilt.

Coach Bob, who seemed the speed of the race, hit the gate at the start and got out several lengths behind the field. He rushed up to be fourth after the opening quarter, but he, too, faded in the stretch.

“That might have worked to our advantage,” Ledezma said of Coach Bob’s poor start.

Streamside was two lengths clear at the eighth pole, but Moonshine Bay began to cut into the lead. He could never get within a length, and jockey Juan Hernandez kept Streamside going, winning by 11/2 lengths in 1:08.72. Zeewat, a stablemate of Moonshine Bay and Ain’t No Other, rallied from last to be third, another 2 1/4 lengths back.

“Everything went our way,” said Ledezma, who began his training career full time in 2002 and has saddled 271 winners from 2,509 starters.

Streamside, owned by a partnership that includes breeder Bill Bowman, earned $45,050 to increase his career earnings to $171,580 with his eighth victory in 19 starts, as he won for the third time in four starts.