Queen of The Sand Rebounds in Santa Barbara
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Queen of The Sand rebounded from an eighth-place finish in the Santa Ana Stakes (gr. IIT) March 15 to claim her first graded victory in the $150,000 Santa Barbara Handicap (gr. IIIT) April 18 at Santa Anita Park .
The 5-year-old Footstepsinthesand mare owned by Derrick Fisher rallied with jockey Drayden Van Dyke from eighth in a field of nine—as many as 7 3/4 lengths back—to edge pacesetter Fanticola by a nose at the wire, covering the 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.04 over a turf course rated firm.
Fanticola led every step of the race until the final stride and slight 5-2 second choice Three Hearts was 1 1/4 lengths back in third.
Van Dyke had to navigate a path between horses in the stretch, but came up with just enough for the victory.
"I knew I had a lot of horse, but it was all about getting through at the top of the lane," Van Dyke said. "Luckily, I had a lucky break, was able to hustle my way out of there, got through, and had a run. At the wire, I knew I had it."
Fanticola set fractions of :24.57, :48.39, 1:12.90, and 1:37.05 through a mile, maintaining a 1 1/2-length lead throughout. Queen of The Sand moved up to seventh after a mile, then was fourth at the top of the stretch before her final surge.
"I was a little concerned with the pace, and she did have some trouble in the race in upper stretch, but Drayden had talked to Mike Smith, who had been riding her but was out of town today, and he helped Drayden with advice," winning trainer Patrick Gallagher said.
Bred in Ireland by Reddy Coffey out of Woodman mare Lough Mewin, Queen of The Sand paid $15.80, $7.60, and $4.80. Fanticola delivered $8.60 and $4.80, and Three Hearts returned $2.80 to show.
Queen of The Sand improved her record to 8-2-3 from 23 starts and increased her earnings to $343,920 with the $90,000 winner's share.
Favored Diversy Harbor, the winner of the Feb. 16 Buena Vista Stakes (gr. IIT) who trailed the field through a mile, was pulled up coming out of the final turn and taken off the track in an equine ambulance. It was later discovered that she sustained an injury to her left front sesamoid.
"I spoke with (trainer) Tom (Proctor)," tweeted Craig Bernick, president of Glen Hill Farm, who owns the 4-year-old filly. "He thinks Diversy Harbor broke her sesamoid (and) will take a picture when back at barn. He thinks she'll live, (but) no more running."
Bernick expanded on the details in a later tweet: "X-ray showed both sesamoids broke... She's in (the) best care (and) has good shot."
Walk Close finished fourth, followed by Habibi, Industrial Policy, Tangelo, and Arethusa.