New York: Be Your Best is primed for big effort in Sands Point

Grade 1-placed Be Your Best will look to return to winning form in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Sands Point, a nine-furlong inner turf route for sophomore fillies, at Belmont at the Big A.

Trained by Horacio De Paz and homebred by Michael Ryan, the Muhaarar bay returns to New York after a runner-up effort on Aug. 19 in the nine-furlong Del Mar Oaks (G1). Although cross-entered in Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) at Keeneland, De Paz said Be Your Best will race at Aqueduct.

Be Your Best exited post 9 of 10 under Juan Hernandez in the Del Mar Oaks and closed from sixth position with a menacing four-wide move through the final turn to finish 2 3/4 lengths back of the victorious Anisette, who exited that effort to finish second against elders in Saturday’s Rodeo Drive (G2) at Santa Anita Park.

“It was a very good effort on her part, especially flying out there to Del Mar,” De Paz said. “The winner, Anisette, is a really nice filly. We didn't get to save all the ground around there like she did. (Anisette) had a dream trip and the rail opened up for her. But a good effort on our part, for our filly.”

Be Your Best has made four starts this year, all in graded company, including a close runner-up effort in June at Belmont Park in the Wonder Again (G2) won by a neck by Prerequisite, who is entered in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup. That effort was followed by a disappointing ninth-place finish less than one month later in the 10-furlong Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1).

“She ran a winning race that day, so it was good to see that effort,” De Paz said of the Wonder Again try. “We just came back too quick in the Belmont Oaks. She regressed and that told us she just needs more time between races, which showed when we went out to California.”

Be Your Best has breezed back four times over the Belmont dirt training track since the Del Mar Oaks, including a half-mile effort in 48.83 seconds on Oct. 5.

“She's maintained very well and is healthy and doing really good. I'll probably just gallop her into the race. She's fit and ready to go,” De Paz said. “I breezed her early last week anticipating the rain and the week prior we missed a breeze because of the weather. But, she's good to go and she doesn't need to do anything more.”

With more rain in the forecast this weekend, De Paz said his filly shouldn’t mind a little cut in the ground.

“She ran at Saratoga on good turf and she handled that,” De Paz said. “I think she'll be OK.”

Manny Franco, aboard for the Wonder Again effort, has the call from post 4.

Eternal Hope will face four returning rivals from her deep-closing score last out in the 11-furlong Jockey Club Oaks Invitational (G3) on Sept. 16 at Aqueduct for trainer Charlie Appleby.

The Teofilo chestnut was away last of seven under Jamie Spencer in the 11-furlong test and trailed as many as 23 lengths back before rallying six-wide down the lane to secure a neck score over Neecie Marie.

Eternal Hope will be ridden from post 7 by Jamie Spencer.

Neecie Marie returns for another crack at Eternal Hope after her narrow miss last out after a ground-saving rally under returning rider Abner Adorno in the Jockey Club Oaks for trainer Butch Reid Jr. She'll break from post 5 with Abner Adorno riding.

The Pennsylvania-bred Cross Traffic bay is 3-of-5 since making a victorious switch to turf racing in June at Parx. She arrived at her graded-stakes debut from a deep-closing 2 1/4-length score in the state-bred Mrs. Penny on Aug. 21 at Parx with Adorno up for the first time.

“When she won the small stake (Mrs. Penny) here, she was well back and many wide around the turn and still drew off,” Reid said. “Abner rode her and it gave him good confidence in her and I thought he rode her excellently (in the Jockey Club Oaks), she just got outrun a little in the last 100 yards. Other than that, I thought it was a perfect race.”

Reid said Neecie Marie, who won over good going in a 1 1/16-mile optional-claimer on July 24 at Parx, will appreciate shortening up to nine furlongs.

“It seems to me with turf races once you get out past a mile and an eighth or so it's all about the timing of the finishing run. Abner knows her well and it should set up nice,” Reid said. “I do like the turnback a little bit going from a mile and three-eighths to a mile and an eighth. She'll certainly finish full of run in this one.”

Neecie Marie breezed back a half-mile in 49.12 seconds Oct. 6 over the Parx main track.

“She came back with a nice little breeze last weekend and we're looking forward to running,” Reid said.

Others returning from the Jockey Club Oaks are fourth-place Highland Grace for trainer Barclay Tagg, fifth-place Quarrel for conditioner Robert Ribaudo, and the Jose Jimenez-trained pacesetter Stephanie's Charm, who will race with blinkers off.