Phillips Racing Partnership’s homebred Winter Memories, a multiple grade III winner on turf, is the 123-pound high weight for the $150,000 Sands Point (gr. II) on the Memorial Day card at Belmont Park.
Six 3-year-old fillies were entered for the 1 1/16-mile turf test, with another entered for the main track only if the race is moved off grass due to turf conditions. The Sands Point will be followed by the Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I).
Trained by James Toner, Winter Memories has three wins and a second in four career starts, with earnings of $360,600. The daughter of El Prado, produced from the Silver Hawk mare Memories of Silver, broke her maiden at 1 1/16 miles on turf at Saratoga and followed with a powerful move from far back to win the Miss Grillo Stakes (gr. IIIT) by 5 1/4 lengths. Second as the 11-10 favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (gr. IIT), Winter Memories was given a winter break before coming back with a neck triumph in the Appalachian (gr. IIIT) in her 2011 debut.
Breaking from the rail in the Sands Point is Lee Pokoik’s Arch Support, a daughter of Arch who finished second to Winter Memories in the Miss Grillo in her fourth career start and then fan 12th in the BC Juveniele Fillies Turf.
Another Sands Point starter who finished behind Winter Memories in stakes company is Parting Words, the winner of two of five starts who finished third in the Appalachian. The daughter of Artie Schiller is trained by Barclay Tagg for the Lael Stable of Roy and Gretchen Jackson.
The only other entrant with blacktype is Mystical Star, second in the Herecomesthebride Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Gulfstream Park for owner Cheyenne Stable and trainer Christophe Clement, who has also entered Naples Bay in the race.
Flying Zee Stable’s Life's Measure was entered for the main track only.
$150,000 Sands Point Stakes (gr. II, Race 9 , 5:16 p.m.), Fillies, 3 & Up, 1 1/6 Miles, Turf
PP, Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Arch Support (KY), E S Prado, 117, G C Contessa
2. Mystical Star (KY), J R Velazquez, 117, C Clement
3. Naples Bay (KY), R Maragh, 117, C Clement
4. Celestial Kitten (KY), J Castellano, 117, C C Brown
5. Parting Words (KY), R A Dominguez, 117, B Tagg
6. Winter Memories (KY), J Lezcano, 123, J J Toner
7.(MTO) Life’s Measure (NY), R Curatolo, 117, C F Martin