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).
