The Sands Point Will Go to the Wire

The Sands Point – Grade II
BEL   Race #6   1 1/8m   InTurf   Graded Stake
Purse $400.000  For Fillies Three Years Old.

1  Summit                 D J C Racing Stables   Hernandez B J Jr

This filly by Niagra hasnt got the best form in the race but the stable is flying at the moment and there are plenty of positives about her. Very consistent at a lower level this season she has won two allowances and ran pretty well when second in the NY Stallion Series race last time when second. Her works are sound and if she gets some of that late season improvement she will be right in this.
2  Millinneal    Mb Stables    Campbell J M

like just about every horse in the stable she is capable of much better work times than her form suggests but two wins in her last two starts suggest the champion trainer may have found the key to unlock her talent. She finished really nicely to win the Riskaverse last time and had more in hand than the length winning margin suggests. That switch back to turf after some good efforts on the dirt including a good fourth in the Honeybee seems to be the way to go and with a perfect draw i suspect she will go close to winning.

3  Infrastructure    Our Athletes    Castellano J J

She was in fine form early in the year winning the Sweetest Chant and the Appalachian but hit a little flat spot in her last two starts and has been given plenty of time to recover from those early season efforts. If she is fully wound up she will go close and if it rains she will be quite happy too, plenty of upsides.

4  Broken Chat    Estero Farms    Cancel E

Another that has been given plenty of time this summer her last start in July was a career best performance when she took the grade one Diana by a half length. A recent work puts her in tip top form and a repeat of that last effort from a good draw may be enough to win.

5  Sandset    Team 7 Illusions    Hernandez R M

She has been in fine form this year and was in front of Infrastructure in the Gamely giving her a lively chance of being in at the finish here. Effective over longer trips she may find this mile a little sharp but as an on pace type she will be tough to go past if she is in front in the stretch. Her works are sharp enough and the draw will give the trainer plenty of options.

6  Snacks                  D J C Racing Stables   Lezcano J

The second stable runner she has won over five furlongs and finished strongly in the Diana so clearly has both speed and stamina. She was only a length behind Broken Chat in the Diana so wont be far away again. On her run in the Lake Placid she wont want it too wet but she has been a little inconsistent this year. Her recent works suggest she is in good heart and with the trainer firing on all cylinders i think she may be the dark horse in the field.

7  Royal Red    Cajun Stables    Contreras L

Took the Pucker Up Stakes in good style last time and ran well enough in both the ONT Colleen and the Honeymoon Stakes to suggest that was no fluke. A rapidly improving sort she comes up against a strong field but a little more improvement would put her right in at the finish.

8  Speeding Slayer    John Henry    Rosado R J

Switches stables after winning the Penny Memorial Handicap which is quite a feat for a three year old but she was pretty disappointing in the Yellow Ribbon Handicap last time and she may find a few of these too good today.

9  Moonlight Bliss    Fractious    Rosario J

She was on a real winning streak in the Spring but has raced in top class in her last two starts and saw that streak come to an end. She actually ran a super race in the San Clemente when third beaten just a length but didnt make much of a show in the DMR Oaks last time and that effort coupled with a wide draw will make this race tough for her.

10  I Justwantthe Purple   Gdp Inc                 Esquivel E

This horse is normally a closer so if the trainer can overcome the wide draw race engine AI and get this one back she should be finishing strongly at the end. She ran a cracker when closing hard for fourth in the Beverly D last time and she won the Dance Smartly in the race previously so is clearly good enough if the wide gate doesnt spoil her chances.

SUMMARY

This is a tough race to sum up with some very nice three year olds fighting it out for BC points. Its easy to make a good case for most of the field but i have a feeling that Broken Chat may find the post in front. Snacks looks a good bet too and I Justwanthe Purple will be a good choice of she can beat the draw.



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