Sassy struts her stuff in Edgewood

Owner Ramona Bass has high hopes for A Little Bit Sassy (Lauren Pomeroy/Horsephotos.com) Ramona S. Bass’ A Little Bit Sassy notched her first stakes victory in Friday’s $171,750 Edgewood Stakes, stamping herself as a three-year-old turf filly on the upswing for trainer Michael Matz. After tracking the controlling speed, the 4-1 co-second choice drove 1 1/4 lengths clear and returned $10.20 to win. “She’s just a lovely filly,” said Bass, who purchased the daughter of More Than Ready for $220,000 as a yearling at Keeneland September. “We’ve been excited about her from the beginning. I fell in love with her at Keeneland. I had to have her. Thankfully, she’s really run well. I think we’re going to have a lot of fun with her.” A Little Bit Sassy, who broke her maiden at Delaware Park last September, was coming off a pair of runner-up efforts. In her stakes debut in the October 27 Chelsea Flower at Belmont Park, she rallied from far back to finish second to the well-regarded Recepta. A Little Bit Sassy was not seen again until an entry-level allowance at Keeneland April 6, where she pulled on the lead and was passed in the final furlong by Party Now.

On Friday, jockey Luis Saez was able to persuade her to park in second early,
keeping tabs on Istanford through splits of :24, :48 2/5 and 1:13. A Little Bit
Sassy then launched a sustained bid, wore down the pacesetter, and pulled away
to finish 1 1/16 miles on firm turf in 1:42 3/5.

“The trainer (Matz) told me to break and take her back,” Saez said, “and she
did great. I got her to relax, and when I got in the stretch she responded to me
very well. I had so much horse. She was very impressive.”

Istanford saved second by a neck from recent French import Little Journey,
with the late-running V V Goodnight the same margin away in fourth. Granny Mc’s
Kitten checked in fifth, followed by Courageous Julie, Miss Machiavelli, 2-1
favorite Candy Kitty and Fonepferesh. Resistivity was withdrawn.

A Little Bit Sassy boosted her earnings to $155,758 from her 5-2-2-0 record,
all on turf. Bred by William D. Gould in Kentucky, the dark bay is the first
registered foal from multiple stakes heroine and Presque Isle Downs track
record-setter Miss A. Bomb. That Lemon Drop Kid mare is a half-sister to
multiple Grade 2-placed Cargo, the dam of 2000 Preakness hero and sire Red
Bullet. Also close up in the family is Grade 3 victress French Riviera, who
produced Japanese Grade 2 winner Suzuka Causeway.

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