Queen of The Sand wins Santa Barbara Handicap at Santa Anita

Published Apr. 18, 2015 8:30 p.m. ET

foxsports

Queen of The Sand rallied to win the $150,000 Santa Barbara Handicap for fillies and mares by a nose Saturday at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, Queen of The Sand ran 1 1/4 miles on turf in 2:01.04 and paid $15.80, $7.60 and $4.80.

Fanticola returned $8.60 and $4.80, while Three Hearts was another 1 1/4 lengths back in third and paid $2.80 to show. Diversy Harbor, the 5-2 favorite, trailed throughout, had problems approaching the quarter pole and was vanned back to his barn.

Queen of The Sand was next to last going into the far turn. She skimmed the rail and split horses four-wide turning for home to eke out the Grade 3 win for trainer Paddy Gallagher.

''I knew I had a lot of horse but it was all about getting through at the top of the lane,'' Van Dyke said. ''Luckily I was able to hustle my way out of there, got through and had a run. At the wire I knew I had it. Down the lane, I saw Fanticola and knew she was fighting on, but I went left handed at the last second and got up there.''

The victory, worth $90,000, increased Queen of The Sand's career earnings to $343,920, with eight wins in 23 starts.