Sassy Siena, second in the Martha Washington S. Feb. 10 and third behind a pair of these foes in the GIII Honeybee S. a month later, got it done when it counted Friday to stamp her ticket to next month's GI Kentucky Oaks.
Dismissed at double-digit odds, the $65,000 KEESEP yearling saved all the ground from her rail draw as she stalked from a distant second behind free-running favorite Amy's Challenge. The chalk threatened to keep right on going after a snappy six panels in 1:10.52, but dropped anchor as she hit the top of the lane. Formidable out-of-town invader Wonder Gadot moved alongside Sassy Sienna as they took over together in the final sixteenth, but Sassy Sienna dug deeper to get her nose down on the line.
“It was an awesome, awesome trip,” Hall of Fame pilot Gary Stevens said. “I didn't use her much away from the gate last time. I shuffled back and it kind of backfired on me. She was super sharp and the crew had her ready [today]. She left there running and sat a good trip in second and she just kept grinding it out. Beautiful filly. I told those guys I was wishing today was a mile and an eighth and that's a good thing because she will get the mile and an eighth for the Oaks. She is springing forward at the right time.
A debut winner on the grass last July, Sassy Sienna was third in Saratoga's P.G. Johnson S. before making a switch to the main track. She checked in fourth in the GI Darley Alcibiades S. in October, and second in a rained-off Churchill allowance in November. Fifth behind Fantasy foe and GIII Honeybee S. heroine Cosmic Burst (Violence) in Remington's Trapeze S. Dec. 17, she bounced back with a 9 1/2-length romp in a local optional claimer Jan. 15. That was the dark bay's final start for Zayat Stables, and she had run with these owners listed in her two most recent outings.
“She's a tough filly. She's shown us a lot from the get-go. On to the Oaks,” said trainer Brad Cox, who will also saddle one of the Oaks favorites in GI Ashland S. heroine Monomoy Girl (Tapizar).
Pedigree Notes:
Sassy Sienna becomes the third graded winner for her sire (by Unbridled's Song), who was champion juvenile of 2008. Her unraced dam is a now 21-year-old daughter of 1989 GII Schuyvlerville S. winner and GI Spinaway S. and GI Matron S. runner-up Golden Reef. Tap for Gold produced a Revolutionary colt last March and was bred back to Kantharos.
Friday, Oaklawn Park
FANTASY S.-GIII, $400,000, OP, 4-13, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:45.63, ft.
1–SASSY SIENNA, 117, f, 3, by Midshipman&log=">Midshipman
1st Dam: Tap for Gold, by Pleasant Tap
2nd Dam: Golden Reef, by Mr. Prospector
3rd Dam: Virginia Reef (Ire), by Mill Reef
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($65,000 Ylg
'16 KEESEP). O-Medallion Racing & Jerry McClanahan;
B-Haymarket Farm LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Gary L. Stevens.
$240,000. Lifetime Record: 9-3-2-2, $394,600. *1/2 to Newton
John (Stormin Fever), GSP, $122,191; and Spina (During), SP,
$270,360. Werk Nick Rating: N/A. *First SW from this cross*.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”vinery-sales-grad”][bullet ad=”machmerhall-damrecommendedforprivatepurchase”][bullet ad=”mating-done-by-good-win-farm”][bullet ad=”mckathan-brothers-training-grad”][bullet ad=”eqb-yearlingpurchase”][bullet ad=”kbif-g2g3″][bullet ad=”tm-medallion-double”]2–Wonder Gadot, 121, f, 3, Medaglia d'Oro–Loving Vindication, by Vindication. 'TDN Rising Star' ($80,000 Ylg '16 KEESEP;
$325,000 2yo '17 OBSAPR). O-Gary Barber; B-Anderson Farms
Ont. Inc. (ON); T-Mark E. Casse. $80,000.[bullet ad=”brookdale-prepped-and-sold”][bullet ad=”anderson-farms-bred-raised-sold”][bullet ad=”ontario-bred”]3–Amy's Challenge, 121, f, 3, Artie Schiller–Jump Up, by Jump
Start. ($20,000 Ylg '16 FTKOCT). O-Novogratz Racing Stables
Inc.; B-Sierra Farm (KY); T-McLean Robertson. $40,000.[bullet ad=”paramount-congratulations”]Margins: NO, 2 1/4, 1HF. Odds: 11.50, 2.10, 1.40.
Also Ran: Cosmic Burst, Bo Peep, Harbor Lights, Tahoe Dream, Princess Warrior. Click for the Equineline.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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