Sentiero Italia surges in stretch to win Sands Point

ELMONT, N.Y. – Kiaran McLaughlin wasn’t sure where his filly, Sentiero Italia, would be sitting in the early stages of Saturday’s Grade 2 Sands Point Stakes at Belmont Park, but he didn’t see her sitting second.

But those tactics employed by jockey Joel Rosario paid off nicely as Sentiero Italia took over from pacesetting Cara Marie in upper stretch and drew off to an authoritative 3 3/4-length victory in the $500,000 Sands Point, run in a driving rain at Belmont Park.

Blond Me, one of four European-based shippers, rallied from well back to get second by a neck over Miss Temple City. It was a half-length back to Tapitry, who was followed in order by Osaila, Mrs McDougal, Iromea, Cara Marie, Malabar, and Marabea.

The win capped a five-win day for Rosario, who also won the $200,000 Temperence Hill Stakes on Tacticus.

The win was the fourth from six career starts for Sentiero Italia, a daughter of Medaglia d’Oro, owned by Godolphin Racing.

When Sentiero Italia won the Grade 2 Lake Placid Stakes against four rivals at Saratoga last month, she didn’t take the lead until inside the sixteenth pole. On Saturday, she was second behind Cara Marie through modest fractions of 24.66 seconds, 49.01, and 1:13.53 for six furlongs over a turf course labeled good but also absorbing heavy rain.

Turning for home, Rosario guided Sentiero Italia to the front, and she never was threatened in the stretch, covering the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.83. She returned $5.40 to win as the favorite.

“I was surprised to see her that close, but I was happy turning for home,” McLaughlin said. “She’s a very nice filly, like top shelf.”

Rosario and McLaughlin figured Cara Marie would set the pace, but they also figured Miss Temple City, under John Velazquez, would be ahead of Sentiero Italia as well.

“I was in the position he was last time and took it from there,” Rosario said. “She was very comfortable. She was just galloping along. She’s very one paced, and she’s honest. She gives it to you when you ask her. She keeps going forward.”

Since losing her debut at Gulfstream in March, Sentiero Italia has won 4 of 5 starts – her only loss coming to Lady Eli in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks.

McLaughlin credited his brother and assistant, Neal, and his wife, Trish, for working with a filly that had been difficult at times to train.

“She had her issues, and she’s just come really good,” said McLaughlin, who noted Sentiero Italia trains right-handed over the synthetic surface at the Greentree training center in Saratoga.

Blond Me, a little rank early under Junior Alvarado, was switched to the outside down the backside. She was four wide most of the way before rallying inside Miss Temple City to get second.

“I didn’t have a great break, so I couldn’t get behind someone I could follow the whole way around,” Alvarado said. “I had to make my trip, move wide a little bit, and find a good spot to make a run. She did pick it up very nicely at the end.”

The connections of the top three horses are all hoping to earn invitations to the Grade 1, $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland on Oct. 11.