Lightstream Skims the Rail to Remain Unbeaten in Beaumont

Up Hill Stable and Head of Plains Partners LLC’s undefeated Lightstream took advantage of a rail-skimming ride by Julien Leparoux to win the 31st running of the $150,000 Adena Springs Beaumont (G3) for 3-year-old fillies by three-quarters of a length over Nickname before a Sunday afternoon crowd of 20,403.

Trained by Brian Lynch, Lightstream covered the Beard Course distance of seven furlongs, 184 feet in 1:26.27. It was the second win in the race for Leparoux, who piloted War Kill to victory in the 2009 running.

R Girls a Charmer led the field through uncontested fractions of :22.22 and :44.64 as Lightstream bided her time in fourth, running next to the rail.

On the far turn, Nickname went after R Girls a Charmer and grabbed the advantage outside of the leader entering the stretch, opening a daylight margin. At the sixteenth pole, Lightstream surged past Nickname on the inside and drew clear for the victory.

The victory was worth $93,000 and raised Lightstream’s earnings to $117,000 with a record of two wins in two starts.

Lightstream also earned her first 10 points toward the Kentucky Oaks (G1) on May 6 at Churchill Downs. The top 14 point earners that enter the race will make up the field for the Oaks. The cut line is 40 points, a total held by Nickname and two other fillies.

A Keeneland sales graduate, Lightstream is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Harlan’s Holiday out of the Arch mare North Beach.

Sent off as the favorite in the field of five, Lightstream returned $4.60, $2.80 and $2.10. Nickname, ridden by Javier Castellano, returned $3.40 and $2.10 with Kinsley Kisses finishing 1½ lengths back in third under John Velazquez and paying $2.20 to show.

R Girls a Charmer finished fourth and was followed by American Doll.