Odds-on Newborn Sassy (Jordan Stratton, $3.70) overcame seven rivals and a scattering Friday night (September 8), winning Yonkers Raceway’s $50,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace.
Away fourth from post position No. 5, ‘Sassy’ watched as Jag Out (George Brennan) left around Lovineveryminute (Brent Holland), paying a :26.4, first-quarter privilege for the lead. In the second turn, the latter was attempting to leapfrog past the former when the pair locked wheels.
That unscheduled bit of loveliness caused all the ladies in behind to alter their routes, with any number either breaking and/or going wide and 59-1 longshot trailer Betabcool N (Greg Merton) leaving the course.
After the discourse, Newborn Sassy — one of the those breakers — righted the ship and moved to the lead, with Betabcool N taking the very abbreviated way back to the oval and into the pocket. The half was a an incident-slowed :58.1, after which ‘Sassy’ finished it off (1:26.1, 1:54.3).
The margin was a length and a half into the lane and a length and three-quarters at the wire. Betabcool N was second, with Princess Fabulosa (Eric Goodell), HP Sissy (Brian Sears) and Acefourtyfour Alex (Joe Bongiorno) settling for the remainder.
After a lengthy inquiry, the judges made no placements, deeming Betabcool N should not be penalized for shortening her trip to avoid the impediments in front of her.
For Newborn Sassy, a four-year-old daughter of Western Ideal co-owned by trainer Jim King Jr. and CC Racing LLC, the win was her sixth in 10 seasonal starts (career four-for-five here, including last season’s Lady Maud). The exacta paid $199, the triple returned $807 and the superfecta paid $17,433 (base $2 payout).
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)