Osaila returns to U.S. for Sands Point

ELMONT, N.Y. – The European invasion that New York Racing Association officials had hoped would materialize for the Stars and Stripes card two months ago happened for Saturday’s Grade 2, $500,000 Sands Point Stakes at Belmont Park.

Only two European-based 3-year-old fillies came across the pond for the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Oaks Invitational on July 4. But four European-based runners help make up a 12-horse field – including one for the main track only – entered Wednesday for the Sands Point. Like the Belmont Oaks, the Sands Point is a 1 1/8-mile turf race for 3-year-old fillies.

Europe will be represented by multiple Group 3 winners Osaila and Malabar as well as Iromea and Blond Me.

For Osaila, this will be her second trip to the U.S. Last fall, she shipped to Santa Anita for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and finished third, five lengths behind winner Lady Eli.

“She was running on,” trainer Richard Hannon said by phone Wednesday from Doncaster, England. “She liked the racetrack. She’s run very well this year.”

Osaila has two wins and a second-place finish from four starts this year. Her only bad race was a seventh in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket in May.

The Sands Point will be the first race beyond a mile for Osaila, who has won at seven furlongs and a mile. Hannon believes the added distance will only help Osaila, who will be ridden by Javier Castellano from post 9.

Malabar is coming off a Group 3 victory over males at Goodwood after competing in five consecutive Group 1 races resulting in a trio of fourth-place finishes.

Malabar is trained by Michael Channon, who in 2012 sent Samitar to the U.S., where she finished third, beaten a neck, in the Grade 2 Lake Placid at Saratoga. Samitar stayed in the U.S. with Chad Brown and won the Grade 1 Garden City over this course.

Asked about Malabar, assistant trainer Michael Channon Jr. wrote in an e-mail: “She’s a proven Group 3 winner with a high level of form at [the] Group 1 level at home, and we learned from Samitar that fillies can make the trip over to the States and compete.”

Blond Me finished second in a Group 2 at Sandown last out, and Iromea has one win from three career starts. Iromea is expected to stay in the U.S. with Christophe Clement after this race.

The U.S. will be well represented with Lake Placid Stakes one-two finishers Sentiero Italia and Miss Temple City in the field as well as Grade 2 Lake George winner Mrs McDougal, who drew post 11.

The rest of those entered for turf are Her Emmynency, second in the Del Mar Oaks; Cara Marie, third in the Lake Placid; Marabea, an allowance winner at Delaware; and Tapitry, second in a first-level allowance at Saratoga. Pangburn was entered for the main track only.