Sands Point analysis: Pizza Bianca tops well-matched field
The $200,000, Grade 2 Sands Point Stakes drew a field of nine plus a “main track only” entrant. Heading the field is Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) winner Pizza Bianca, who is making her first start since an unsuccessful trip overseas to Royal Ascot back in June.
Notable past winners of the race include Uni (GB), Sentiero Italia, Better Lucky, Winter Memories and Riskaverse. Trainer Chad Brown has won five of the last eight editions of the race and will send out one of the favorites in an attempt to make it four in a row and six-out-of-nine. It should be no surprise that Brown holds the record for most wins in this race.
Though most of the weekend’s focus will be on the Grade 1 QE II Challenge Cup at Keeneland, this will be just as telling of a race depending on how Pizza Bianca performs. Here’s a look at the field:
1. Skims (5-1)—A daughter of Frankel, Skims has just two wins to her name. She has been competitive at the top levels, however, despite not winning any of them. Her speed figures have gone up in her last three starts, with the 94 she earned while finishing second by a head to Vergara in the Dueling Ground Oaks a career best. She has also finished behind Eminent Victor recently, so she’ll need to improve to pick up a check.
2. Vergara (9-2)—By Noble Mission, Vergara is a stakes winner and graded stakes placed. In her most recent start, Vergara closely pressed the pace through soft fractions to prevail by a head over Skims. That was over Kentucky Downs’s European style course, and the race played out much like you would expect to see overseas. Like Skims, Vergara earned a 94-speed figure in that race, one of the top numbers in the field. She will also need to take a step forward to end up in the winner’s circle.
3. Eminent Victor (3-1)—By lovable loser Mr. Z, Eminent Victor has turned into a useful sort for her connections. She won the Wild Applause Stakes while finishing 3rd in the Natalma (G1), behind runner-up Pizza Bianca, and 2nd in the Lake George (G3) by just a nose. In her most recent outing, she was 5th in the Lake Placid (G2) after encountering traffic troubles. Her speed figures are mediocre, but they’re also in about the same range as the rest of the field. Manny Franco takes the reins for Chad Brown as regular rider Flavien Prat will be riding at Keeneland.
4. Canisy (8-1)—By Point of Entry, Canisy is 2-for-5 lifetime for Christophe Clement. She won upon debut but was then bested by Spirit And Glory in her next outing. She then finished 6th in the Riskaverse and 5th in the Jockey Club Oaks (G3) over this very course. She earned a career high 90-speed figure when losing in a compact finish in the Riskaverse, however, the rest of her figures are in the low 80’s.
5. Spirit And Glory (8-1)—This Cotai Glory filly began her career in Ireland where she broke her maiden over Dundalk’s all-weather course at third asking. Since then she’s gone 4: 2-1-0. Most recently she won the Virginia Oaks at this very distance, but two starts back she was 7th in the Lake George (G3), which featured another bunched finish as she was only 4 ¼-lengths behind the winner. The 94-speed figure she earned in the Virginia Oaks is one of the best in the field.
6. Hail To (12-1)—By Kitten’s Joy and out of a Dynaformer mare, Hail To certainly has “turf” written all over her pedigree. She had the misforture of debuting against Pizza Bianca but won at second asking. She’s had three prior attempts in stakes company but has yet to hit the board. However, she turned in a career best effort last out, winning an allowance race at Saratoga by ½-length with a speed figure of 91. She has improved her speed figures with each start this year, so she could be a live longshot.
7. Golden Rocket (20-1)—By Alpha, Golden Rocket needed a surface change to get her first win. Her first two starts came on dirt, in which she was no factor. In her third outing, she had the lead in deep stretch but could not fend off the winner and runner-up, missing the win by just a neck. Since then, she’s turned in a couple of clunkers, including finishing 7th in the Pebbles (G3) over this very course. However, she earned a field best 95-speed figure when winning the New York Stallion Series Stakes at Saratoga.
8. Lady Baffled (20-1)—By Frosted, Lady Baffled will be getting a class test here in the Sands Points. She’s only been off the board once in five starts, but her speed figures are below those of the rest of the field.
9. Pizza Bianca (5-2)—Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) heroine returns to the starting gate for the first time since finishing 8th in the Coronation (Gr. 1) at Royal Ascot in June. As a juvenile, she beat Eminent Victor to the wire when finishing second in the Natalma (G1). Her best speed figure is the 94 she received for her BC Juvenile Fillies Turf victory. Though she hasn’t been quite up to form this year, her speed figures were improving heading into her trip overseas.
10. Baby Man (MTO) (1-1)—We’ll take a look at Baby Man just in case this race comes off the turf. A daughter of Bird Song and out of a Birdstone mare, Baby Man won at first asking. Twice Rudy Rodriguez has attempted to run this filly on the lawn, and both times, the race came off the turf. That happened in her most recent start, a 1 1/8-mile optional claimer, where she lead gate-to-wire, earning a 101-speed figure. Should it rain enough to take this off the turf, Baby Man is the one to look out for.
Final Thoughts
Unlike this weekend’s Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth Challenge Cup, the Sands Point has speed. Closest to the rail in terms of speed is Vergara. Canisy, Hail To, and Lady Baffled also flash early speed, but I think Vergara is most likely to go for the lead. They don’t need to go quick early as Pizza Bianca has shown that she can overcome a slow pace. This will be the filly’s first attempt at 1 1/8-mile, but that shouldn’t be an issue. All in all, this is a well-matched field.
Selections
No. 9 Pizza Bianca
No. 2 Vergara
No. 3 Eminent Victor
No. 5 Spirit And Glory