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Sunday, August 28, 2016

NEWBORN SASSY WINS 109G LADY MAUD PACE

BY FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway

YONKERS, NY, Saturday, August 27, 2016—A year ago, it was Purrfect Bags. Saturday night, it was Newborn Sassy (Jordan Stratton, $3) wreaking havoc for co-owner and trainer Jo Ann-Looney King in Yonkers Raceway’s Lady Maud Pace.

‘Sassy’ won this $109,050 edition for 3-year-old fillies, rolling past Apple Bottom Jeans (Jason Bartlett) late in 1:53.

            Odds-on Newborn Sassy, leaving from post position No. 3, left into an immediate two-hole behind second-choice Apple Bottom Jeans.
           
The fave went to pull pocket, but ‘ABJ’ was not in a giving mood. She reseated her rival, then put up intervals of :27.4, :56.3 and 1:25.2.

Skinny Dipper (Brian Sears) made a move out of third, but backpedaled in a hurry. Apple Bottom Jeans did get some nighttime daylight, opening a couple of lengths entering the final turn.

However, Newborn Sassy closed ranks and angled out, wearing down the leader late and winning by a half-length. Hug a Dragoness (George Brennan) photoed Cheyenne Triengel (Scott Zeron) for third, with Time on My Hands (Dan Dube) settling for the smallest envelope. Skinny Dipper faded to last among the happy half-dozen.

For ‘Sassy,’ a Western Ideal miss also co-owned by CC Racing, it was her fourth win in 13 ’16 tries. The exacta paid $5.70, with the triple returning $21.60.

While King won this race for a second consecutive season, Stratton completed his own ‘double,” having guided Kryptos to win the Lismore Pace for this same division in late May.

“I knew we had a bit of a post disadvantage (against Apple Bottom Jeans), so I took a chance at moving again,” Stratton said. “I’m not surprised Jason (Bartlett) wouldn’t let me go, so I just had to wait.

“She’s a very talented filly, and I knew it pained (regular driver) Timmy (Tetrick) not be get to drive her tonight. I’m just fortunate the connections had confidence in me.”

Saturday’s $45,000 Open Handicaps were won by…

--Pace, Doctor Butch (Brent Holland, $6.70) in 1:50.4;
--Trot, Undercover Strike (Bartlett, $2.50) in 1:54.

Special Saturday props, too, to Kevin McDermott, who earned his 1,500th  career training victory after Badix Hanover (Tyler Buter, $8.40) ‘won the bob’ in the $18,000, first-race pace (1:52.3).