New and Improved overcame a tardy start and rallied to post a half-length decision in Saturday’s $200,000 Sands Point (G2) at Belmont Park, registering her first stakes triumph in the 1 1/8-mile turf affair. Joel Rosario was up on the three-year-old filly for Klaravich Stables and Chad Brown.
By Cairo Prince, New and Improved rebounded from a close fourth in her stakes debut, the August 22 Riskaverse at Saratoga, and promising lightly raced filly is now two for three. The gray was off as the 8-5 favorite among seven sophomore rivals and trailed until the completion of the far turn, closing fast to take the lead inside the sixteenth pole and gamely prevail.
“Chad (Brown) told me before the race to just keep her comfortable and let her relax,” Rosario said. “The pace was fine up front, so I just kept her going easy early. She was there for me when I asked her and when we got to the turn she hit that gear and kept going.
“She was very impressive. She made the job easy. She’s a very talented horse to be able to finish with a kick that strong. I have to thank Chad and the owners for the opportunity to be aboard today.”
New and Improved stopped the teletimer over the firm inner turf in 1:48.44.
Feel Glorious, the 5-1 fourth choice, offered a solid late kick to take the lead in the stretch before being passed by the winner and fought to the wire, finishing 1 ½ lengths clear of third-placer Romantic Pursuit. Olendron, Dyna Passer, Souper Escape and Ledecka completed the order of finish.
Bred in Kentucky by Sun Valley Farm, New and Improved was purchased for $320,000 at the 2017 Keeneland September sale and is out of the Giant’s Causeway mare High Style. Multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Tout Charmant is the second maternal dam.
