The Sands Point Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies over a distance of 1+1⁄8 miles on the turf track scheduled annually in October at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. The event currently offers a purse of $200,000.
| Grade II race | |
| Location | Belmont Park Elmont, New York, United States |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1995 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred – Flat racing |
| Website | NYRA |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1+1⁄8 miles |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Qualification | Three-year-old fillies |
| Weight | 124 lbs. with allowances |
| Purse | US$200,000 (2021) |
History
The event is named after Sands Point, New York, a village located at the northernmost tip of the Cow Neck Peninsula on the North Shore of Long Island.
The event was inaugurated on 23 June 1995 as the Sands Point Handicap and was run over the 1+1⁄16 mile distance with Perfect Arc ridden by US Hall of Fame jockey John R. Velazquez winning the event by five lengths over the odds-on favorite Miss Union Avenue in a time of 1:43.14.[1] Perfect Arc in 1995 was crowned New York State Horse of the Year. [2]
In 1997 the distance of the event was increased to 1+1⁄8 mile.[3]
In 1998 the conditions of the event were changed from a handicap to stakes allowance race.[4] That same year the event was classified as Grade III.[3]
In 2001 and 2003 the event was downgraded to a Listed event when it was raced on the main track due to inclement weather.[3]
In 2008 the event was upgraded to Grade II.[4]
In 2020 the distance of the event was decreased to one mile and the following year the distance was reverted to 1+1⁄8 miles.[3]
Records
Speed record:
- 1+1⁄8 miles: 1:46.65 – Auntie Mame (1997)
- 1+1⁄16 miles: 1:42.50 – Discreet Marq (2013)
Margins:
- 6 lengths – Tweedside (2001)
Most wins by an owner:
- 2 – Darley Stable (2008, 2012)
- 2 – Head Of Plains Partners (2017, 2021)
- 2 – Godolphin (2015, 2023)
Most wins by a trainer:
- 5 – Chad C. Brown (2014, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021)
Most wins by a jockey:
- 3 – Joel Rosario (2015, 2019, 2021)
- 3 – John R. Velazquez (1995, 2005, 2022)
Winners
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse | Grade | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At Aqueduct | |||||||||
| 2023 | Eternal Hope (IRE) | Jamie Spencer | Charlie Appleby | Godolphin | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:53.56 | $200,000 | II | [5] |
| 2022 | Skims (GB) | John R. Velazquez | Claude R. McGaughey III | Andrew Rosen | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:51.14 | $200,000 | II | [6] |
| Sands Point Stakes | |||||||||
| 2021 | Fluffy Socks | Joel Rosario | Chad C. Brown | Head of Plains Partners | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.48 | $200,000 | II | [7] |
| 2020 | Tamahere (FR) | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Chad C. Brown | Swift Thoroughbreds, Madaket Stables & Wonder Stables | 1 mile | 1:35.21 | $150,000 | II | [8] |
| 2019 | New and Improved | Joel Rosario | Chad C. Brown | Klaravich Stables | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.44 | $203,200 | II | [9] |
| 2018 | Californiagoldrush | Flavien Prat | Neil D. Drysdale | Alice Bamford | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:54.06 | $400,000 | II | [10] |
| 2017 | Uni (GB) | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Chad C. Brown | Michael Dubb, Head Of Plains Partners, Robert LaPenta & Bethlehem Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.97 | $400,000 | II | [11] |
| 2016 | On Leave | Jose L. Ortiz | Claude R. McGaughey III | Stuart Janney III | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.82 | $500,000 | II | [12] |
| 2015 | Sentiero Italia | Joel Rosario | Kiaran P. McLaughlin | Godolphin | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.83 | $500,000 | II | [13] |
| 2014 | Ball Dancing | Joe Bravo | Chad C. Brown | William S. Farish III & Steve F. Mooney | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.18 | $500,000 | II | [14] |
| 2013 | Discreet Marq | Jose Lezcano | Christophe Clement | Patricia A. Generazio | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.50 | $200,000 | II | [15] |
| 2012 | Better Lucky | Eddie Castro | Thomas Albertrani | Darley Stable | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.75 | $200,000 | II | [16] |
| 2011 | Winter Memories | Jose Lezcano | James J. Toner | Phillips Racing Partnership | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.61 | $150,000 | II | [17] |
| 2010 | Check the Label | Ramon A. Dominguez | H. Graham Motion | Brereton C. Jones | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.16 | $150,000 | II | [18] |
| 2009 | Gozzip Girl | Kent J. Desormeaux | Thomas Albertrani | Farnsworth Stables | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:51.24 | $150,000 | II | [19] |
| 2008 | Raw Silk | Alan Garcia | Thomas Albertrani | Darley Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.46 | $150,000 | II | [20] |
| 2007 | Bit of Whimsy | Edgar S. Prado | Barclay Tagg | Virginia Kraft Payson | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.53 | $109,000 | III | Dead heat[21] |
| Rutherienne | Garrett K. Gomez | Christophe Clement | Joyce Young | ||||||
| 2006 | Wait A While | Garrett K. Gomez | Todd A. Pletcher | Arindel Farm | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.25 | $104,200 | III | Off turf[22] |
| 2005 | Melhor Ainda | John R. Velazquez | Robert J. Frankel | T N T Stud | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.50 | $111,200 | III | [23] |
| 2004 | Mambo Slew | Edgar S. Prado | Patrick L. Biancone | Frank Manganaro | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.24 | $114,800 | III | [24] |
| 2003 | Savedbythelight | Richard Migliore | Richard A. Violette Jr. | Earle I. Mack | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.18 | $114,600 | Listed | Off turf[25] |
| 2002 | Riskaverse | Robbie Davis | Patrick J. Kelly | Fox Ridge Farm Inc. | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:51.63 | $116,100 | III | [26] |
| 2001 | Tweedside | Richard Migliore | Todd A. Pletcher | Eugene & Laura Melnyk | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.43 | $107,800 | Listed | Off turf[27] |
| 2000 | Gaviola | Jerry D. Bailey | William H. Turner Jr. | Twilite Farms | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.77 | $111,300 | III | [28] |
| 1999 | Perfect Sting | Pat Day | Joe Orseno | Stronach Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:46.99 | $108,600 | III | [29] |
| 1998 | Recording | Jorge F. Chavez | Jonathan E. Sheppard | Augustin Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.93 | $116,000 | III | [30] |
| Sands Point Handicap | |||||||||
| 1997 | Auntie Mame | Jerry D. Bailey | Angel A. Penna Jr. | Lazy F Ranch | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:46.65 | $111,200 | Listed | [31] |
| 1996 | Merit Wings | Robbie Davis | Thomas J. Skiffington | James W. Phillips | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.83 | $87,613 | Listed | [32] |
| 1995 | Perfect Arc | John R. Velazquez | Angel A. Penna Jr. | Brazil Stables | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.14 | $82,326 | Listed | [1] |
Legend:
Dirt Turf