Brown Sends Out Strong Duo in Sands Point

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Brown Sends Out Strong Duo in Sands Point
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Photo: Coglianese Photos
Selflessly noses out Sweet Melania at the wire to win the Lake George Stakes at Saratoga Race Course

Trainer Chad Brown saddles two prominent contenders in the Oct. 10 Sands Point Stakes (G2T) at Belmont Park. Brown looks to secure his fourth Sands Point trophy following wins with Ball Dancing (2014), Uni (2017), and New and Improved (2019).

The $150,000 one-mile turf contest for 3-year-old fillies marks the U.S. debut of the Brown-trained Tamahere, a daughter of European sire sensation Wootton Bassett. Previously trained by French conditioner Francois Rohaut, Tamahere won two of six starts in France, including a tour de force 7 1/2-length victory in the June 8 Prix la Sorrelina at La Teste de Buch. The French-bred has clocked consistent breezes since being sent to Brown's barn, most notably a bullet :47.81 half-mile move on the Saratoga Oklahoma turf course Sept. 18.

Irad Ortiz Jr., who recently claimed the riding title at Saratoga, has the call. Ortiz has been sidelined and self-isolating since drawing a positive COVID-19 test last month. He was to return to riding Friday.

Klaravich Stables' Selflessly completes the other half of the entry for Brown. The $190,000 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale purchase scored in the Miss Grillo Stakes (G2T) last year on the Belmont turf to break her maiden. Selflessly then checked in fifth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) prior to a seven-month freshening. She stumbled at the start of the June 20 Wonder Again Stakes (G3T) and finished off the board in her 2020 debut before rallying late and nosing out multiple graded stakes winner Sweet Melania in the Aug. 28 Lake George Stakes (G3T) at Saratoga Race Course.

Video: Lake George S. (G3T)



The Maryland-bred dark bay posted a bullet five furlongs in 1.00.33 on the Oklahoma turf course Sept. 18.

"Selflessly is doing really well coming off a nice win last time out," Brown said.

Waterford Stable's Speaktomeofsummer should pose a substantial challenge to the Brown trainees. The Summer Front  filly will be cutting back in distance following a fourth-place effort in the Saratoga Oaks Invitational Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. In that effort, she was rank during the early stages before failing to kick on late. Speaktomeofsummer is 2-for-4 over the mile distance, however, including a win in the Chelsey Flower Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack in November 2019.

"I think she's very versatile from a mile to a mile and a quarter," trainer Christophe Clement said. "I don't see the distance as a negative. I think she's perfectly OK with it."

Speaktomeofsummer also made her 2020 debut in the Wonder Again and finished fourth. The $135,000 Keeneland November buy rebounded with a gutsy head score over grade 2-placed Stunning Sky in the July 19 Lake Placid Stakes (G2T) for her first graded stakes win.

Rounding out the field are stakes winner Miss J McKay, who was recently second in the Sept. 15 Music City Stakes at Kentucky Downs, Giacosa, Positive Power, Pure Wow, and Drop a Hint.


Entries: Sands Point S. (G2T)

Belmont Park, Saturday, October 10, 2020, Race 10

  • Grade IIT
  • 1m
  • Turf
  • $150,000
  • 3 yo Fillies
  • 5:20 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Tamahere (FR) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 118 Chad C. Brown 5/2
2 2Speaktomeofsummer (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Joel Rosario 122 Christophe Clement 3/1
3 3Selflessly (MD)Keeneland Sales Graduate Jose L. Ortiz 120 Chad C. Brown 2/1
4 4Giacosa (NY) Luis Saez 118 H. James Bond 15/1
5 5Miss J McKay (MD) John R. Velazquez 118 Cathal A. Lynch 7/2
6 6Positive Power (KY) Manuel Franco 118 John P. Mc Allen 50/1
7 7Pure Wow (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Jose Lezcano 118 John P. Terranova II 12/1
8 8Drop a Hint (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Junior Alvarado 118 Antonio Arriaga 30/1