SANDS POINT STAKES | PURSE: $500,000 | 3-YEAR-OLD FILLIES | GRADE 2 | 1 MILE (INNER TURF)
French import Ball Dancing, making her United States debut, surged late from between horses to edge stablemate Xcellence in the $500,000 Sands Point Stakes Sept. 13 at rainy Belmont Park, as trainer Chad Brown had the first two finishers.
Joe Bravo rode Ball Dancing, racing on Lasix for the first time, to victory for owners W.S. Farish and Steve Mooney. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Exchange Rate completed the 1 ⅛-mile event for 3-year-old fillies in 1:50:18 over an inner turf course rated firm while defeating Xcellence by half a length. Pacesetter Sea Queen, the 5-2 favorite in the field of nine, finished third, a 1 ¾ lengths behind the winner.
Ball Dancing met Martin Schwartz's French-bred Xcellence in her final start in France June 15 when she finished fifth in the Prix de Diane Longines (French Oaks) at Chantilly, with Xcellence third behind the victorious Avenir Certain.
"I thought [Ball Dancing] ran great," said Cheri DeVaux, assistant to Brown. "She settled nicely and made one run. When Joe asked her to run, she quickened. She handled everything perfectly in the race and in the gate."
"[Xcellence] also ran great; Ball Dancing was just a little bit better today."
Kirk and Deby Wycoff bred the winning dark bay filly out of the Silver Hawk mare Ball Gown. Ball Dancing was a minor stakes winner in May at Longchamp and won two of five starts in France.
Sea Queen wrested the early advantage from Miss Besilu on the clubhouse turn and opened up by 1 1/2 lengths while carving slow fractions of :25.46 seconds, :50.50 seconds, and 1:14.87 as 29-1 Duff One and Miss Besilu stalked. Ball Dancing, a bit slow out of the gate from the far outside post, and Xcellence raced near the rear of the pack.
Ball Dancing commenced her bid from the three-eighths pole on the inside of Xcellence as Sea Queen began to edge way from the weakening Duff One to enjoy a clear lead in the stretch. Sea Queen dug in as the challengers engaged near the eighth pole but Ball Dancing and Xcellence swept past. Xcellence had a narrow lead at that point, but the battling Ball Dancing prevailed in deep stretch over her game rival.
"Chad had a lot of confidence in this filly," Bravo said in reference to Brown. "She'd been training great and he got to know her. How impressive was it at the eighth pole when she got passed? How much heart did she show to come back and win it?
"With European horses making their first start here, it's mostly a matter of making sure they're comfortable with their surroundings. Chad does so much homework with these horses, it made my job easy."
It was another tough defeat for Xcellence, who was beaten by a half-length when third in the Lake Placid Stakes Aug. 14 at Saratoga Race Course. She was fourth in the Belmont Oaks in her stateside debut July 5.
Carrying 116 pounds, Ball Dancing paid $12.60, $6.80, and $3.90 as the fourth choice. Second choice Xcellence returned $5 and $2.90 as part of a $56 exacta, with Sea Queen paying $2.90.
Walk Close was fourth, followed by A Little Bit Sassy, Daring Dancer, Duff One, Miss Besilu, and Queenofzeenile. Aqua Regia was entered for the main track only.
Ball Dancing did not meet her $128,200 reserve at the Tattersalls October yearling sale in 2012 when consigned by Rathbarry Stud. She originally sold for $55,000 to Pegasus Farm from the Hidden Brook consignment at the 2012 Keeneland January sale. The most recent of nine winners from 11 starters produced by her dam Ball Gown, she is a half sister to French group-placed Palomar.
Earning $300,00 for the Sands Point victory, she has now banked $396,282.