2017 Sands Point Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com – Belmont Park in Elmont, New York will be the scene of the G2 Sands Point Stakes on Saturday, September 16. A purse of $400,000 will be on the line for three year old fillies willing to saddle up and go 1 1/8 miles on Belmont Park’s turf track.

A competitive field of nine plus one Main Track Only Entry will give it a go in the Sands Point Stakes – race 9 on Belmont Park’s Saturday schedule. Post time is 5:45 PM. Let’s take a brief glance into the past performances of all 10 entries for this intriguing G2 stakes.

2017 Sands Point Stakes Entries at Belmont Park

La Coronel

Mark Casse trained filly has 10 career starts with four wins and a second-place finish. She was last seen recording a fourth in the G2 Lake Placid Stakes at Saratoga August 19 after an OK fifth in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes overseas at Ascot June 23 and a very nice two-race win streak – the G3 Edgewood Stakes at Churchill Downs May 5 and a G3 Appalachian Stakes at Keeneland April 13. Before that was a quality second in the G3 Florida Oaks Mach 11, a sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies November 4 and two straight wins including the G3 Jessamine Stakes by 4 1/4 lengths at Keeneland in October. La Coronel has been impressive in her career and chases her fourth graded stakes score, despite failing to hit the board in her last two. Jose Lezcano gets the call from post 3.

Uni

British bred Chad Brown trained filly has placed in seven of eight career starts – two wins, three seconds and two third-place finishes. She made her North American debut in July and finished a decent third in the G1 Belmont Oaks Invitational at Belmont Park and followed that with a respectable second as favorite last time out in the G2 Lake Placid Stakes at Saratoga August 19. Before shipping she recorded a stakes win in France May 11, a sixth in the Group 3 Prix Vanteaux at Chantilly April 9 and a third in a minor stakes race in February. Uni has been decent so far in her career and hopes to keep the upward trend going. Irad Ortiz has been tabbed to ride from gate 6.

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Fifty Five

Has hit the board in all eight career starts for trainer Chad Brown – three wins, a second and four third place finishes. Last time out was an OK third in the G3 Lake George Stakes at Saratoga July 21 which followed a second behind Belmont Oaks winner New Money Honey in the G3 Wonder Again Stakes here June 8, a third in the minor Memories of Silver Stakes at Aqueduct April 23 and a career-defining win over La Coronel in the G3 Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay March 11. Before that was a third in the G3 Sweetest Chant Stakes at Gulfstream February 4 and two straight wins – the best of which coming in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Gulfstream January 1. Fifty Five has been a factor in every career start so far and is expected to be again Saturday. Joe Bravo is scheduled to ride from gate 2.

Inflexibility

Chad Brown trained filly has hit the board in all five career starts – two wins, a second and two third-place finishes. She makes her graded stakes debut Saturday off a good win in the minor Wonder Where Stakes at Woodbine July 30, a respectable third in Canada’s biggest race – the Queen’s Plate, another third in the minor Woodbine Oaks June 11 and a maiden score on this track May 4. Inflexibility has been a factor every time out and hopes to be again in her step up in competition from the outside gate 10. Javier Castellano rides.

Chastise

Todd Pletcher trained filly has two wins and a third-place finish in her four career starts. She steps into stakes company for the first time Saturday off an Allowance score at Saratoga August 19. That followed a sixth in a similar race at Keeneland October 26, a maiden score on that track October 12 and a third in her debut last August. Chastise has been good against lesser competition and hopes to be again in her major step up – from post 5 with Luis Saez guiding her.

Empressof the Nile

Has one win, a second and a third-place finish in her seven career starts for trainer James Bond. She makes her stakes debut Saturday having finally broken maiden last time out – by an eye-opening 6 1/4 lengths at Saratoga August 20. Before that was a sixth, a second and a fourth in a trio of MSW races this past spring. Empressof the Nile takes a huge step up in competition in so-so form and will have Dylan Davis in the irons from post 7.

Fault

Michelle Lovell trained filly has hit the board in seven of nine career starts – three wins, three seconds and a third-place finish. She arrives off a career-best outing – a win in the G3 Pucker Up Stakes at Arlington August 12 which followed three straight runner-up finishes including the minor TaWee Stakes at Indiana Grand July 20. Fault has been trending upward ahead of this weekend and will chase a second straight graded stakes score from gate 4. Flavien Prat will be in the saddle.

Defiant Honor

Has six career starts for trainer James Toner with three wins and a second-place finish. Last time out was a nice win in the minor $100,000 Riskaverse Stakes at Saratoga August 24 which followed a sixth in the G2 Lake George Stakes on that track July 21 and a one-length Allowance score at Belmont Park June 21. Before that was a respectable graded stakes debut – a second after leading most of the way in the G3 Jimmy Durante Stakes at Del Mar in November, a maiden score at Belmont Park in October and a sixth in her debut in September. Defiant Honor will be after a first graded stakes score (second straight stakes win) from post 9 Saturday. Nik Juarez has been tabbed to ride.

Vue Fantastique

French bred Fabrice Chappet trained filly has one win and three second-place finishes in her seven career starts. She makes her North American debut Saturday off a seventh in the Group 2 Shadwell Prix de las Nonette August 19 and a win in the Group 3 Prix de Psyche July 29. Before that was an eleventh in a Group 1 race in June and a respectable second in the Group 1 Gurkha Coolmore Prix Saint- Alary in May. Vue Fantastique was certainly competitive at home and hopes to be again in her North American bow. Manuel Franco will be in the irons from gate 8.

Boninta Bianca

Main Track Only Entry has placed in six of seven career starts – four wins, a second and a third-place finish. Last time out was an OK second in the minor Fleet Indian Stakes at Saratoga August 25 after a nice win in the minor New York Oaks at Finger Lakes July 22, a fourth in an Allowance at Monmouth Park June 24 and a win in the minor East View Stakes at Aqueduct in December. She also won the minor Maid of the Mist Stakes on this track in October and had a third in her only graded stakes action to date – the G2 Demoiselle Stakes at Aqueduct in November. Bonita Bianca has been good so far in her career and is expected to be again if this race is moved to dirt. She may leave from the rail with Irad Ortiz aboard.

2017 Sands Point Stakes Odds & Entries

Race 9 on Belmont Park’s Saturday card with a Post Time of 5:45 PM.