by Frank Drucker, publicity director, Empire City at Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers, NY — Newborn Sassy (Jordan Stratton, $14.60) rolled over favored Tequila Monday (Eric Goodell) late Friday night (Aug. 17), winning Yonkers Raceway’s moist $44,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace.

Katy Gazzini photo

Newborn Sassy collared the people’s preference in the final yards, edging away by three-quarters of a length in 1:51.3.

Neither lass was visible to the naked eye early as Caviart Cherie (Mark MacDonald) led through a :26.3 opening quarter-mile. Magic Forces (George Brennan), perturbed in the pocket, took over before a :55.1 intermission.

Vorst (Brent Holland) slipped out from third, but she wasn’t the problem as Magic Forces maintained her lead in and out of a 1:23.1 three-quarters. Wide came 6-5 choice Tequila Monday and even wider — from post position No. 7 — was Newborn Sassy.

Tequila Monday quickly opened a 1-1/2 length lead into the lane, but her rival was in hot pursuit. Newborn Sassy collared the people’s preference in the final yards, edging away by three-quarters of a length in 1:51.3, a tick off her season’s-best effort. It was about seven lengths back to Magic Forces in third, with Mach It A Par (Jason Bartlett) and Vorst rounding out the payees.

For third choice Newborn Sassy, a 5-year-old daughter of Western Ideal owned by CC Racing and Jo Ann Looney-King and trained by Jim King Jr., it was her seventh win in 24 seasonal starts (third in last four tries). The exacta paid $49.40, the triple returned $148.50 and the superfecta paid $1,187.