Early move pays off for Californiagoldrush in Sands Point

ELMONT, N.Y. – Neither soft turf nor a slow pace could prevent Californiagoldrush from taking all the money as she turned back a challenge from Secret Message to win Saturday’s Grade 2, $400,000 Sands Point Stakes for 3-year-old fillies by a half-length at Belmont Park.

Not wanting to get caught behind a pedestrian pace – the opening half-mile was 52.05 seconds over the inner turf course – jockey Flavien Prat made an early move aboard Californiagoldrush to sit just outside pace-setting longshot Shadan early on down the backside.

After six furlongs went in 1:17.06, Californiagoldrush took over from Shadan but had Secret Message waiting to her outside.

Turning for home, Californiagoldrush opened up a one-length advantage but then had to hold off a persevering Secret Message under John Velazquez to get the victory.

Secret Message, winner of the Grade 3 Pucker Up at Arlington last out, finished second by 1 1/2 lengths over her Graham Motion-trained stablemate Colonia. Reversethedecision and Victorine finished in a dead-heat for fourth. Shadan, Capla Temptress, and Barkaa completed the order of finish.

Californiagoldrush, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Cape Blanco owned and bred by Alice Bamford and trained by Neil Drysdale, covered the 1 1/8 miles over yielding turf in 1:54.06. She returned $8.30 as the 3-1 favorite.

“Going into the first turn I was trying to get cover, and I found myself too wide and we were walking,” Prat said. “I decided to get a little closer. She relaxed well. I was a little worried about the soft turf, but she handled it well. She just keeps improving.”

Secret Message also moved early due to the slow pace, but Velazquez said his filly “couldn’t quicken. She stayed at the same pace.”

Californiagoldrush won her first two starts during the winter, but was off for six months before returning in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks where she finished a respectable third behind Fatale Bere.

John O’Donoghue, assistant to Drysdale, explained that Californiagoldrush needed time off to “grow into her frame. She was very growthy. She filled out.”

O’Donoghue credited Prat with advancing his filly from fifth to second early in the race.

“She looked like she wanted to go, he did the right thing and made that early move and had enough to hold on,” he said.

O’Donoghue said that Californiagoldrush could go from here to Kentucky for the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup, which will be run at Keeneland on Oct. 13.