The Sands Point (Grade 2)- $500.000 Purse
BEL- For Fillies Three Years Old
One Mile and One Eighth on the Inner Turf
September 12, 2015

The largest purse in the history of The Sands Point made for the strongest field the race has ever seen.   There were many in this field with graded stake success, and the two to the inside, Girl Talk and Jawbone looked to have the most promise, but there was no lack of talent.  In the end it would be the filly that came into the race with the most career earnings, to be able to add to those earnings.  Jawbone and Chili King Stables, a trainer known for have a lot of success with the turf distance horses, would prevail in a tight finish at the end.  It was the first career win in the stake for both trainer, and the jockey, J R Leparoux.  Congratulations to all! The winning time of 1:45.87 is a new stake record for when the race was run at this distance on the inner turf.  Here’s how it happened!

1st- 2- Jawbone (6/1)- Our eventual race winner from Chili King Stables got off to a good start, content to stalk the leaders and run just to the outside of Girl Talk for the run around the first turn.  Leparoux kept her in the stalking position for the backstretch run and looked to find room to run in the turn.  The best option would end up being to move her four-wide, to the outside of Rose of Glamorgan, and Jawbone would respond quite well to this move.   She was full of run at the top of the stretch, but Rose of Glamorgan and Girl Talk were engaged in a battle matching strides for the win and it seemed as though they might have too much left between them for Jawbone to get by.  However, Jawbone would find even more in the tank and pulled even with those two with a half of furlong to go.  From there, it was a three way duel to the wire, and it would be Jawbone getting up just in time, and prevailing in the photo.  Jawbone is a three year old filly by Abra Kadabra and out of Heartbreak Bridge.  She was bred in California by Chili King Stables, where she has raced her entire career.  Congratulations again to the connections!

2nd- 9- Rose of Glamorgan (7/2)- Got off to a quick start for Blushing Meadows, running alongside the leading You Can Do It for the run around the opening turn, allowing herself to get an inside position.  Held this position for a while, but began to move up and challenge You Can Do It more assertively in midway into the turn.  Fought gamely in the stretch as Girl Talk began to match her stride for stride and it seemed as though it would come down to these two.  Valiantly held her off, but unfortunately for the trainer, Jawbone’s run on the outside would be just a little too much for.  In the end, Rose of Glamorgan is second in a three-way photo.

3rd- 1- Girl Talk (6/1)- Didn’t start quite as fast as the top two, but it was still a strong start for the Nolespan Racing entry, content to run third about a length from the lead early.  Jockey J J Castellano moved his filly closer to the lead in the turn, and was able to find room between You Can Do It and Rose of Glamorgan to attempt a pass.   She was able to pull even with Rose of Glamorgan, but that filly would never let her get by.  On the outside though, came Jawbone, and Girl Talk would miss out on the three-way photo.

4th- 4- You Can Do It (7/1)- The Mb Stables filly was the quickest of them all out of the gate, leading the field around the first turn, and would set the opening half in :47.29 and 3/4 in 1:10.29.  Lead throughout the backstretch, and into the final turn.  She held her ground throughout the turn, but once it became time for the stretch run, You Can Do It would not be able to do it today.

5th- 6- Chateau de Versaille (6/1)- She got off to an average start for trainer, D J C Racing Stables, being midpack, but keeping the leaders in sight.   During the turn, it looked as though J L Ortiz was having a particularly difficult time finding a lane for, and Chateau de Versaille wasn’t respond would the kind of powerful run that he was hoping for, either.  At least not until it was too late.

6th- 3- Eva The Diva (9/2)- The Our Athletes filly got off to a pretty good start, running three wide to the outside of Jawbone in the early going, about two lengths from the lead at the top of the backstretch.  She moved wide on exit of the turn in an effort to follow Jawbone, but she would come up pretty flat in the stretch.

7th- 7- Lisilsaya (186/1)- The longest shot on the board from Sarah Stables was towards the back in the early going.  Maintained his position throughout the backstretch and into the turn, and we were hoping that in the stretch she would make a strong closing bid like she did in her last race.  That would never materialize.

8th- 5- The Patriot Filly (22/1)- The Threshold entry got off to a poor start, going right to the back early, beating only Rio Tinto early.  From there this filly ran a very uneventful race, saying next to last for the duration, and never mounting any kind of bid.

9th- 8- Rio Tinto (4/1)- Someone out there put a ton of money on the Diablo Diablo filly, going from 15/1 on the morning line all the way down to being the second choice.  From the start, that person was likely groaning, as she never looked good here.  Stayed at the back throughout.

Track: Firm
Time: :47¹  1:10²  1:34   1:45⁴

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 2 – 9 Paid 20.10
$1 Trifecta: 2 – 9 – 1 Paid 100.60

Scratched: None

Winner picked by NS

— NS

Categories: Grade II