Former stablemates Uni, Vue Fantastique face off in Sands Point Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – Perhaps more than anyone, Fabrice Chappet knows the degree of difficulty in taking on Uni in Saturday’s Grade 2, $400,000 Sands Point Stakes at Belmont Park. After all, he trained the filly for the first six starts of her career, winning twice.

“She was one of the best 3-year-old fillies in France, so it’s no surprise that she’s done good over here,” Chappet said Thursday. “And she loves firm ground.”

Chappet has sent over Vue Fantastique to take on Uni, now trained by Chad Brown, and seven others in the Sands Point, a 1 1/8-mile race restricted to 3-year-old fillies carded for Belmont Park’s inner turf course. Chappet said Uni and Vue Fantastique were workmates in France before Uni was purchased privately by Sol Kumin’s Head of Plain Partners, Mike Caruso’s Bethlehem Stables, and Robert LaPenta.

“Uni likes firm ground and mine likes soft ground,” Chappet said while looking at the past performances. “Vue Fantastique would have an edge on soft ground, but apparently that is not going to be the case. Uni would have an edge on firm ground.”

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In two starts for Brown, Uni was third in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks behind New Money Honey and Sistercharlie, and second in the Grade 2 Lake Placid, three-quarters of a length behind Proctor’s Ledge in a race run over less-than-firm ground.

In the Lake Placid, Uni wound up six wide in a five-horse field, and Proctor’s Ledge, who also won the Lake George earlier in the meet, got first run on her.

Uni is one of three runners sent out by Brown. He also has entered Fifty Five and Inflexiblity. Fifty Five is winless in three starts for Brown. Her best races have come when there is ample pace and she can make one run.

Inflexibility, a daughter of Scat Daddy, is coming off a win in the Wonder Where Stakes, restricted to Canadian-breds, at Woodbine on July 30.

Vue Fantastique will join Brown’s stable following this race, Chappet said.

Vue Fantastique’s only win from seven starts came in a Group 3 stakes at Deauville in July. That was sandwiched between the two worst races of her career.

In the Group 1 Prix de Diane at Chantilly, Vue Fantastique finished 11th of 16. Chappet said she didn’t appreciate the hot weather or the firm ground. In her seventh-place finish in the Group 2 Prix de la Nonette, Vue Fantastique “was a bit too keen.”

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Sands Point contender La Coronel came up empty when fourth in the Grade 2 Lake Placid, which followed a trip to Royal Ascot where she finished fifth. Her last two works over the Oklahoma turf course in Saratoga were solid.

Defiant Honor, winner of the Riskaverse Stakes, and Chastise, winner of an allowance race going a mile at Saratoga, look like the potential speed in the Sands Point.

Fault, coming off a win in the Grade 3 Pucker Up at the Sands Point distance, and Empressof the Nile, who comes off a maiden win at Saratoga going 1 3/16 miles, complete the field.

The Sands Point will be the fourth leg of a pick-five wager that combines three stakes from Woodbine with two races from Belmont Park. The first leg is the Grade 2 Canadian with an approximate post of 4:30 p.m. Eastern, followed by race 7 here, a turf allowance, the Grade 1 Northern Dancer, the Sands Point, and the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile.