The
Darley Awards by Steve Andersen
Uptown Sandy Girl has won titles for the last four years and is well on her way to legendary status in American Arabian racing. In March, Uptown Sandy Girl (Burning Sand x Wibwilcca by Wilkolak) was recognized as the 2020 Darley Horse of the Year for a campaign featuring three wins in six starts, earnings of $74,110, and three stakes wins at Texas tracks. For her outstanding campaign, Uptown Sandy Girl gave owners and breeders Jon and Krista Henningsgard a fourth and fifth Darley Award with the now seven-year-old mare. Uptown Sandy Girl was the champion three-year-old filly of 2017, the champion four-year-old filly of 2018, champion older mare of 2019 and won the latter title again in 2020. Here’s hoping the Henningsgards have room for another memento in their home in Waller, Texas. Uptown Sandy Girl won her 2021 debut in the Darley Distaff Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park on March 19, her only start of the year as of mid-April.
Unfortunately, Uptown Sandy Girl did not receive the widespread adulation deserved for a Horse of the Year. The 2020 Darley Awards program was held in a virtual format this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, denying participants an opportunity to gather for a weekend of races and the championship presentations. The event was presented on Facebook and YouTube by the husband and wife team of Jonathan and Ashley Horowitz and held hours after two stakes for Arabians were run at Sam Houston Race Park, including the Darley Distaff Stakes. Hopefully in 2022, the event will be held in the old-fashioned way – with folks getting together to celebrate the best Arabian racehorses in the United States. Aside from Uptown Sandy Girl, horse awards were presented to First Classs, Champion Three-Year-Old Male; Uptown Lady Arabella, Three-Year-Old Filly; RB Rich Lyke Me, Four-Year-Old Male; Paddys Day, Older Male; and RB Kinetic, Four-Year-Old Filly.
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