Americathegreat Posts First Stakes Win in Sands Point

After spending the summer racing in Canada, Americathegreat shipped south to New York and posted her first stakes win, notching a half-length victory Oct. 23 in the $200,000 Sands Point Stakes (G3T) for 3-year-old fillies at Belmont Park. The daughter of Curlin had made her three previous 2026 starts at Woodbine with two seconds, and a win in an allowance optional claimer in her most recent start. "(Jockey Javier Castellano) had a plan and he stuck to it. He didn't think there was a lot of speed in there," said Shane Tripp, assistant to winning trainer Mark Casse. "She came from Woodbine and won a nice allowance race up there, the team up there did a great job. We've had her here for a little bit, so we are real proud of her. I loved the way she dug in the last eighth of a mile." Castellano celebrated his 49th birthday Friday with the win aboard Americathegreat ($13.74). Bless Her was second, 1 1/2 lengths in front of Bohemian. The final time for the 1 1/8 miles on firm turf was 1:48.18. Americathegreat is owned by Gary Barber and D. J. Stable and was bred by B. Flay Thoroughbreds in Kentucky out of the A.P. Indy mare America. A full sister to graded stakes winner First Captain, Americathegreat sold for $1.2 million at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.