Up the Ante gets first stakes test

Sand Dancer has faced the best competition. Up the Ante has run faster. On Wednesday at Delaware Park, they will vie for favoritism in the $50,000 Stanton, a 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-olds.

Up the Ante is coming off a front-running, first-level optional-claiming victory at Belmont Park for trainer Christophe Clement. He showed improved speed that day, controlled the pace, and then sprinted home in 22.66 seconds to cover a mile over firm turf in 1:33.75.

The questions are, will Up the Ante may be able to make the front, and if he does, will he be left alone or pressured? Longshot Coach Adams and Threes Over Deuces will be making their turf debuts but have both shown good speed on the main track.

Up the Ante earned an 81 Beyer Speed Figure in his May 10 win. That number is three points higher than Sand Dancer’s two most recent efforts.

Sand Dancer, who is based at Monmouth Park with trainer Tim Hills, figures to fall into a stalking trip. He has finished second to the graded stakes runners Maraud and Channel Cat this year.

Maraud beat Sand Dancer by two lengths in a January optional-claiming race at Gulfstream Park and then went on to win the Grade 3 Palm Beach and the Grade 2 American Turf at Churchill Downs. Most recently, he finished fourth in the Grade 2 Penn Mile after prompting the pace.

Sand Dancer was beaten a half-length by Channel Cat in a March optional claimer at Gulfstream. Channel Cat finished third in the Grade 3 Pennine Ridge on June 2 at Belmont Park.

Sand Dancer scored his second career win in the fourhorse Woodhaven Stakes at Aqueduct in April. The Woodhaven favorite, Fifty, who weakened to third, has since been beaten in a first-level allowance at Monmouth Park.

If you like Sand Dancer in the Stanton, you also have to like Archaggelos, who rallied in the Woodhaven to finish second, beaten only a neck. Trained by Michael Dickinson, Archaggelos has since finished fourth over Tapeta in the Grade 2 Marine at Woodbine. He seems capable of better Wednesday.

Graham Motion will send out Nakamura, who will be turning back in distance from a fourthplace finish going 1 1/4 miles in a first-level allowance at Belmont Park. Beaten 2 1/4 lengths that day, Nakamura earned an 87 Beyer Speed Figure, the highest of anyone in this field.

Silent Citizen has crossed the wire first in four of his five starts – he was disqualified once – while facing maidenclaiming and optional-starter company. He will be facing tough company here for trainer Efren Loza Jr., who is best known for campaigning the solid stakes runner Fear the Cowboy.

It should be noted that Trevor McCarthy, who rode both Nakamura and Sand Dancer in their last starts, moves to Up the Ante in the Stanton.