Countdown to the Delaware Handicap: Island Sand

Note: This is the second to last installment looking at the former winner of the Delaware Handicap, today it's Island Sand.


Year Born: 2001
Color: Dark Bay/Brown
Sire: Tabasco Cat
Dam: Sue's Last Dance
Broodmare Sire: Forty Niner

Profile: When you think of Larry Jones, you think of Eight Belles, Hard Spun, Proud Spell, and Believe You Can. All four got their first wins at Delaware and all went onto have great success at the highest level (with the first two runners up in the Derby (sadly with EB breaking down after gallent second and Hard Spun doing well so far as a sire) and the latter two winning KY Oaks (Proud Spell of course added the DE Oaks to her Championship Season). However, if it wheren't for Island Sand, there is a very good chance that they might not had been at the same level. Island Sand was Jones' first true superstar.

While she had won the Busanda as a 3yo, she had the unfortance of being born in the same crop as Ashado. She was behind the two time Champion in the 2004 Oaks finishing ahead of Madcap Escapade (who would be the dam to G1 winner Mi Sueno) and Stellar Jayne as well as several nice fillies. In her next race she would win the Acorn defeating Society Selction who would win the Alabama that year and Friendly Michelle who is one of my personal favorites. After that only one top three finish would come that being in the Mother Goose (behind Stellar Jayne and Ashado).

As a four year old in 2005, she finished second in the Pippen, third in the Azeri and 4th in the Apple Blossom all of those races where at Oaklawn. After a runner up finish in the Louisville Breeders Cup (now the La Troianne), she finsished a disapointing 6th in the Flus de Lis at Churchill. Then it was to the Delaware Handicap where Chilen import Isola Piu Bella who had won the local prep the Obeah, Two Trail Sioux who defeated her in the Flus, Maryland sensation Silmaril and the locals Friel's For Real, Becky in Pink and Racing Luck whose stablemate was Afleet Alex. However, she was able to grind out a win in the stretch defeating Two Trail Sioux and Personal Legend. The DelCap would be the final win of her career. Ironcily today is the aniversary of that win.

As a broodmare, she has 1 winner A P Eli (A.P. Indy) and had a 3/4 filly to him by Pulpit this year.

Up Next: We wrap it up with Urbane!