Motion hopes turf is firm for Daring Dancer in Sands Point

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Graham Motion will be keeping close tabs on the weekend weather in New York as he plans to run Daring Dancer in Saturday’s Grade 2, $500,000 Sands Point Stakes at Belmont Park.

Daring Dancer was one of 10 3-year-old fillies – including one main-track-only entrant – entered Wednesday for the Sands Point, a 1 1/8-mile race that was switched on the calendar with the Grade 1 Garden City. The Garden City was moved to the summer meet and renamed the Belmont Oaks Invitational.

Daring Dancer was originally being pointed to the Belmont Oaks, but those plans were scrapped when she finished fifth of sixth as the 4-5 favorite in the Wonder Again Stakes here May 25. That was Daring Dancer’s only loss in five career starts.

The turf course was labeled “good” that day, but it was definitely more on the soft side. Motion said he believes Daring Dancer simply didn’t handle the ground.

There was a 50 percent chance of showers Thursday and a 50 percent chance of afternoon showers Saturday.

Daring Dancer bounced back from the Wonder Again to win the Grade 2 Lake George at Saratoga on July 23.

“I thought she ran a huge race, like her old self, very reassuring,” Motion said. “Belmont’s a concern, but she’s doing well. Everybody wants to run in the Queen Elizabeth [at Keeneland on Oct. 11], and this looks like the race to get there.”

Daring Dancer, who drew post 8, will be ridden by John Velazquez because regular rider Alan Garcia is riding at Kentucky Downs on Saturday.

Motion also entered Queenie’s Song, who comes out of a sixth-place finish in the Boiling Springs at Monmouth on Sept. 1.

Other top contenders in the Sands Point field include Sea Queen, who won the Wonder Again Stakes before finishing second in the Belmont Oaks and fourth in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks, and Xcellence, fourth in the Belmont Oaks and third in the Lake Placid.

Walk Close, Miss Besilu, Duff One, Ball Dancing and main-track-only entrant Aqua Regia complete the field.

Devilish Love steps up for Noble Damsel

Devilish Love, a winner of all three of her starts this year, will seek her first stakes success in Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Noble Damsel.

Devilish Love won her maiden for a claiming tag of $25,000 last summer at Parx, but since being transferred to Tony Dutrow, she has gone 3 for 3, a streak that began at Belmont on June 18. She also won two allowance races at Saratoga.

Devilish Love will break from post 3 under Velazquez.

Devilish Love will take on a field that includes Baffle Me, a filly who is 3 for 5 at Belmont; Love Train, who is 2 for 2 at Belmont; Alaura Michele, Annecdote, Byrama, Medea, Tokyo Time, and Julie’s Love, who was supplemented to this race.