Eternal Hope keeps racking up Graded Stakes victories to go along with all of her frequent flyer miles as she made yet another successful raid on U.S. shores with a hard-fought half-length victory in the G2 Sands Point Stakes at the Belmont at Aqueduct meet on Saturday, 14 October.
The three-year-old daughter of Teofilo, who improved her record to four wins in seven career starts, notched her second straight Graded Stakes win, having captured the G3 Jockey Club Oaks Invitational over the same course in September.
Breaking cleanly out of the starting gate, Eternal Hope was taken in hand and settled just off the lead in third, as Leave No Trace and Quarrel led the way through easy fractions of :24.42 and :49.49 through the opening half-mile. Eternal Hope continued to hold the third spot, despite being forced wide on the far turn, as a familiar foe, Neecie Marie, ranged up on her outside.
Set down for the drive in the stretch, Eternal Hope rallied strongly under jockey Jamie Spencer as she battled Neecie Marie through the final furlong before prevailing once again over that rival to win by a half-length.
Bred in Ireland by Godolphin, Eternal Hope is the second foal and first winner out of the Dubawi mare Voice of Truth, who is a half-sister to Champion and multiple G1 winner Rio de la Plata and to Argentine G1 winner El Expresivo.
In addition to Eternal Hope, Teofilo is also the sire of another successful North American raider, Nations Pride, who captured the G1 Canadian International at Woodbine on 8 October. Teofilo is the sire of 23 G1 winners, including two Melbourne Cup winners (Cross Counter and Twilight Payment) and G1 Ascot Gold Cup hero, Subjectivist.
