by Frank Drucker, Publicity Director, Empire City at Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers, NY — Favored Newborn Sassy (Jordan Stratton, $4.30) stalked, then starred, from second-over Friday night (Sept. 29), winning Yonkers Raceway’s $50,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace.

Mike Lizzi photo

Newborn Sassy collects her seventh win from 12 seasonal starts at Yonkers Raceway.

Unhurried early form post position six (in one notch after a defection), Newborn Sassy saw Betabcool N (Eric Goodell) through down a reasonable early gauntlet of :27.2 and :56.2.

Delightful Dragon (Brent Holland) then moved from fourth going toward a 1:24.2 three-quarters.

Betbacool N had a 1-1/2 lengths to play with in and out of the final turn, but playtime was about to end. Newborn Sassy launched around her stagnant tow, then mowed down the leader.

The margin was three-quarters of a length in a flat 1:53. Betabcool N held second over a pocketed Dewar N Soda (Eric Abbatiello), with Lispatty (George Brennan) and a returning Diva’s Image (Pat Lachance) rounding out the payees.

For Newborn Sassy, a 4-year-old daughter of Western Ideal co-owned by (trainer) Jim King Jr. and CC Racing, it was her seventh win in a dozen seasonal starts. She now has career earnings in excess of $700,000. The exacta paid $12.60, with the triple returning $98.