Traffic and soft turf can't stop Riskaverse

ELMONT, N.Y. - Riskaverse overcame a bit of traffic trouble and a yielding turf course Sunday to win the $116,100, Grade 3 Sands Point Stakes by a head over Cyclorama. It was three-quarters of a length back to She's Vested in third. Ntombi, the 5-2 favorite, finished eighth in the 11-horse field.

Riskaverse, a daughter of Dynaformer, was blocked from the five-sixteenths pole to the three-sixteenths pole before jockey Robbie Davis found room. Riskaverse split horses to get in the clear and kicked on strongly to run down Cyclorama in the final two jumps. Trainer Pat Kelly said he was concerned about the soft turf because Cozzy Corner, a half-sister to Riskaverse "hates it."

Kelly hopes by winning the Sands Point, Riskaverse will earn an invitation to the $500,000 American Oaks on July 6 at Hollywood Park.

"It's been a target ever since it's been announced," Kelly said of the newly created 10-furlong turf race for 3-year-old fillies. "I think she's going to be better going longer."