She may have been "underrated" throughout her brief career, but trainer Clinton McDonald believes a star has been born after Streisand scored a dominant victory in the Feb. 21 Blue Diamond Stakes (G1) for 2-year-olds at Caulfield Racecourse.
The filly was the equal-most seasoned performer in the 16-horse field after four previous starts—the latest bringing her first success in a three-quarter-length victory in the Blue Diamond Prelude (G2)—but drifted late to start on the fourth line of betting
McDonald believes her experience showed in what was a powerful win in the AU$2 million, 1,200-meter (about 6-furlong) feature for a filly bought at Inglis Premier by McDonald and Shane McGrath Bloodstock for AU$100,000, and whose half sister will be offered at the same sale next week.
Jumping from gate 10 for Ben Melham—who shrewdly chose her over 2-from-2 colt Big Sky before he was scratched Feb. 20—Streisand sat three and four wide without cover for the trip, traveling just off the leaders under a solid pace.
The filly joined the front-runners before the turn and while she had a fight to drive past Danny O'Brien's leader Closer To Free, she eventually gained the upper hand over the favorite at the 100-meter mark and pushed away to beat that colt by three-quarters of a length.
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr.-trained colt Guest House took third, while Unit Five disappointed in 10th.
McDonald has now won the Blue Diamond twice—in three editions—after the 2024 success of star-crossed filly Hayasugi, and has single-handedly worked to redress a gender imbalance, with his pair the only two female winners in seven years.
Named after singer Barbra Streisand by her large group of party-hungry owners due to her dam being called Zouper Star, McDonald's filly appeared to greatly appreciate the addition of blinkers earlier in the week.
"What a filly," said McDonald, who was celebrating his fifth group 1. "The blinkers were used, she floated, but you try things and it worked. To all my staff, my trackwork riders—fantastic.
"She did it the tough way and I thought she was really strong all the way to the line.
"I just thought she was the most seasoned horse in the race. The way she walked around the mounting yard it was like she's done it her whole life and she raced that way."
Bred by Victoria's Eldon Park Stud, Streisand is one of only 21 named foals from the final crop of Magnus, who died in late September of that last 2023 season at Widden's Victorian farm aged 21. Streisand is his fifth elite winner.
The start of the 56th Blue Diamond contained substantial drama. Anticipating the start, several horses lunged at the gates and I Am Aria burst through them, before being quickly restrained by Craig Williams.
O'Brien later said second starter Closer To Free had paid a price for the trouble at the gates, making his run all the more meritorious.
"There was a mishap at the barriers when the starter went to let them go and he flew the machine the first time and smashed his face into the front of the gates when they didn't open," O'Brien said.
"It didn't help, as he didn't jump as well the second time. He got out there and ran a great race, but the winner was too good."
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