BY
FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY,
Friday, July 13, 2018—Odds-on Newborn Sassy (Jordan Stratton, $3.80) was
rebuffed early and rallied late Friday night (July 13th), winning
Yonkers Raceway’s non-superstitious $44,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace.
Alertly away from
post position No. 4, Newborn Sassy sat an early pocket behind Medusa (Dan
Dube). The fave tried to move past, but Medusa wasn’t up for such largesse.
That one laid down
the legwork (:26.4, :56) before Magic Forces (George Brennan) made her second
move. The rock-solid lass, who made a three-hole from her assigned eight-hole,
did not offer her usual oomph and soon backed away.
Medusa maintained
her advantage in and out of a 1:23.3 three-quarters, owning a length-and-a-half
lead in the lane.
Newborn Sassy,
though, never out of reach, edged out and edged by. She whipped a second-over
Tequila Monday (Eric Goodell) by a diminishing head in 1:51.3. Medusa did hold
third, with Freakonomics (Mark MacDonald) and Lispatty (Joe Bongiorno) settling
for the minors.
Magic Forces wound up last among the octet.
For Newborn Sassy,
a 5-year-old daughter of Western Ideal owned by Jo Ann Looney-King & CC
Racing and trained by Jim King Jr, it was her fifth win in in 21 seasonal start
(career earnings now over $917,000). The exacta (two wagering choices) paid
$10, the triple returned $36.80 and the superfecta paid $212.
Saturday night’s
(July 14th) feature is the $100,000 Lawrence B. Sheppard Pace, the
Raceway’s premier ‘open’ event for 2-year-old colts and geldings.
